73: Chapter 72 Report from Jingjiang City

Four days later.

Jingjiang City, the capital of Jiangnan Province.

In front of the expressway toll station, Zhu Wenhao rested one hand on the steering wheel.

His knuckles tapped lightly against the leather cover.

Four or five consecutive hours of driving had left a trace of fatigue on his face.

In the passenger seat, Su Qinghan handed him a bottle of mineral water with the cap unscrewed.

"Drink some water; we'll be there soon after passing the toll station."

Zhu Wenhao took the water bottle and drank it down.

This trip to the provincial capital was to attend the fully enclosed training of the Young Cadre Training Class at the Provincial Organization Department.

The training would last for three months.

It happened to be the weekend.

Su Qinghan had just reported to the Discipline Inspection Commission and had no work assigned to her yet, so she simply came along for the ride.

She would take the opportunity to help him clean up his new place.

The night before departure.

Zhu Wenhao returned to Villa No. 4.

The ice between him and Li Juan had thawed slightly.

Family ties in prestigious clans are often mixed with calculations of interest.

To truly reach a point of having no hard feelings, there was still a long way to go.

Before leaving.

Li Juan slapped a set of keys with an Audi logo onto the coffee table.

"You drive this car to the provincial capital."

"This car is convenient for getting around in Jingjiang City."

"The copper key on the keychain is for an apartment my family bought before I was married, located on Changfeng Street."

"A housekeeper goes to clean it regularly, and the bedding is all new. You can stay there."

Li Juan specifically instructed.

"Once you get settled on the first day, go to the Cadre Retirement Home in the evening to see your grandfather and have a meal with him."

"If he doesn't give the word, you won't be able to establish your connections in the provincial capital."

Old Master Li, Li Zhenguo.

The number three figure in Jiangnan Province.

In the blurry memories of the original owner, Zhu Wenhao, this old man had a heavy and composed aura, the only existence he had feared since childhood.

After passing the toll station.

The black Audi drove into downtown Jingjiang City.

The apartment on Changfeng Street was located in a prosperous area where every inch of land was worth gold.

It had a two-bedroom, one-living room layout with exquisite decoration.

The Party School stipulated that students must stay in the school dormitories on teaching days, but on weekends and holidays, everyone still chose to stay off-campus.

It was private and more convenient for socializing.

The two put down their luggage.

They didn't call for a cleaning service.

Su Qinghan changed into loose sportswear, found a rag and mop, opened the window, and began to clean the dust.

Zhu Wenhao took off his suit jacket, rolled up his shirt sleeves, and wiped the floor-to-ceiling windows and bookshelves.

While in Linjiang.

Although the two lived under the same roof, they were mostly calculating the struggles outside.

Like this, cleaning the house and tidying up together like an ordinary couple was actually a luxurious experience.

Approaching noon.

The two went downstairs to the vegetable market at the corner of the street and bought a fresh crucian carp and a bunch of green vegetables.

In the kitchen, the oil pan burst with the aroma of green onions and ginger.

After finishing the first meal since arriving in the provincial capital.

It was past two in the afternoon.

Zhu Wenhao changed into a well-tailored navy blue jacket with a light gray shirt underneath.

Su Qinghan walked up to him.

She reached out to straighten his collar and handed him the prepared gift box.

She had no extra instructions, only standing on tiptoe to press a light kiss on his cheek.

"Go."

"Don't worry about me tonight."

Zhu Wenhao took the opportunity to put his arm around her shoulder and turned to go out.

Walking downstairs, he looked back.

In front of the third-floor window, Su Qinghan was still standing there, watching him quietly.

The Audi merged into the main road, heading straight for the Cadre Retirement Home in the southern suburbs.

The gate of the Cadre Retirement Home was hidden behind two rows of tall French plane trees.

There was no conspicuous plaque, only two armed police officers on guard.

The car stopped in front of the speed bump.

The armed police officer stepped forward.

His gaze first swept over the license plate, then lingered for two seconds on the special pass in the lower right corner of the windshield.

Finally, he looked at Zhu Wenhao in the driver's seat.

He saluted and let them pass.

Driving inward along the tree-lined path.

In front of a two-story building with a separate courtyard, Zhu Wenhao stepped on the brake.

The courtyard gate was closed.

Zhu Wenhao stepped forward and knocked twice on the door ring with his index finger.

The door was quickly pulled open.

An old man near sixty, wearing a washed-out Zhongshan suit, leaned out.

The old man's hair was gray, but his posture was straight.

Butler Wang Jianan.

Li Zhenguo's former full-time secretary.

After Old Master Li stepped into the second line, he refused the arrangement to be transferred to a prefecture-level city and stayed at the Cadre Retirement Home as a liaison.

Butler Wang Jianan sized up the young man in front of him.

"Uncle Wang, I am Zhu Wenhao."

"Mother asked me to come and see Grandfather."

Surprise appeared in Butler Wang Jianan's eyes.

"Zhu Wenhao, in the blink of an eye, you've grown so tall."

"This aura is completely different from when you were a child. Come in quickly."

Zhu Wenhao handed over the gift box in his hand.

Butler Wang Jianan took it and lowered his voice to explain.

"The old leader is inside, playing chess with Director Qi Shan of the Public Security Department."

"Director Liu Qiang from the Development and Reform Commission is also here."

"The leader specifically instructed that you should go directly to the study to find him when you arrive."

Zhu Wenhao nodded and walked into the inner courtyard.

The study door was ajar.

It was very quiet inside, with only the crisp sound of chess pieces hitting the board.

Zhu Wenhao walked to the door.

Butler Wang Jianan was about to announce him, but Zhu Wenhao raised his hand in a gesture to stop him.

He silently pushed open the door and stood by the entrance.

In front of the mahogany chessboard, Li Zhenguo and Director Qi Shan sat opposite each other.

Deputy Director Liu Qiang stood on the side watching the game.

The game was in the middle stage.

Director Qi Shan held the black pieces, his chess style was bold and unconstrained, with fierce offensives.

The black pieces formed a huge external influence in the lower right corner, like a heavy army pressing on the border, ready to conquer at any time.

Li Zhenguo held the white pieces.

His moves were extremely slow, and each move landed in the most inconspicuous place.

Seemingly retreating, but actually hiding needles in cotton.

The white pieces took root and sprouted in the cracks of the black pieces, faintly forming a counter-encirclement net.

The game of power was vividly displayed on the crisscrossing chessboard.

Director Qi Shan held a black piece, looking at the solid territory in the lower right corner that had been quietly hollowed out by the white pieces, fine sweat seeping from his forehead.

He originally wanted to forcibly eat a white dragon in the middle, but as soon as he made a move, the large block of black pieces on the right would become abandoned.

After hesitating for a while, Director Qi Shan threw the black piece back into the chess basket.

"Old leader, I lost this game."

"Your move of 'letting the enemy escape to catch him later' has completely seen through my bottom line." Director Qi Shan clasped his hands and admitted defeat readily.

Li Zhenguo picked up the purple clay teapot beside him and took a sip.

"You, you have too much drive but insufficient stamina."

"You can be decisive in public security work, but you must leave some room in the overall coordination."

After lecturing his former subordinate.

Li Zhenguo caught a glimpse of Zhu Wenhao standing by the door.

"Zhu Wenhao is here."

"Come over and play a game with me."

Zhu Wenhao was about to answer.

A young female voice suddenly interrupted from the side.

"Are you that Zhu Wenhao from Linjiang City?"

The speaker was a girl in her early twenties, wearing a khaki trench coat, with long hair draped over her shoulders and an outstanding appearance.

She had the temperament of a young lady from a prestigious family between her brows.

Deputy Director Liu Qiang's daughter, Liu Ruobing.

In this Young Cadre Training Class selection, she was also a recipient of a quota for provincial-level organs and the protagonist in Li Juan's photo.

Deputy Director Liu Qiang's face sank, and he scolded sternly.

"Ruobing! In front of your elders, have some manners! How are you talking!"

Li Zhenguo waved his hand and laughed.

"No matter."

"Ruobing also grew up under my eyes, she is straightforward."

"Director Liu Qiang, your daughter is like you, she can't hide her thoughts."

Zhu Wenhao didn't even look at Liu Ruobing, walking straight to the seat vacated by Director Qi Shan.

He pulled out the chair and sat down steadily.

"Grandfather, my chess style is wild; I only know how to kill and fight, not how to leave room."

"If I offend you later, please bear with me."

Li Zhenguo became interested.

"Quite a big tone."

"Today I'll let you play black first."

Zhu Wenhao reached into the basket and picked up four black and white chess pieces.

He did not follow the modern Go rules of occupying the star points first.

Instead, with a few crisp "clack" sounds, he directly slapped the four black and white pieces onto the four star points on the diagonal!

This move stunned the three people present.

"The 'zuozi' system?"

Li Zhenguo's eyes brightened.

This was the playing method of the Ming Dynasty!

It eliminated the layout exploration of modern Go, had no komi, and forced both sides into hand-to-hand combat from the start.

"Using ancient methods, good lad!"

Li Zhenguo grabbed a white piece and dropped it heavily.

"Let's see how much you're worth!"

The game began.

Zhu Wenhao's moves were extremely fast.

Each move carried a compelling sense of oppression.

He didn't care about the gains or losses of a single city or pool.

He didn't occupy empty space, only cut off the opponent's retreat.

He didn't seek to live, only to strangle the opponent's vital chess pieces.

Director Qi Shan and Director Liu Qiang stood on the side, and the more they watched, the more shocked they became.

This is not playing chess; this is clearly deploying troops!

By the fortieth move.

Zhu Wenhao had completely figured out Li Zhenguo's chess strength.

The old master's chess style was steady and good at counterattacking.

But in this unreasonable close-quarters combat, ultimately because of his old age, his calculation power couldn't keep up with this crazy rhythm.

Zhu Wenhao no longer held back.

The imperial bearing of having ruled the Ming Dynasty for sixty years in his previous life poured out from his fingertips onto this square chessboard without reservation.

His moves were like thunder.

The black pieces were like elite soldiers, forcibly tearing open the white pieces' defensive line in the middle game.

It unreasonably cut off the head and tail of the white dragon.

After another twenty moves.

On the right half of the entire chessboard, the white pieces' positions had collapsed, with heavy casualties.

Li Zhenguo held a white piece in his hand, suspended in mid-air, unable to drop it for a long time.

He raised his head and looked at the twenty-four-year-old grandson opposite him.

Those eyes were deep and cold, as if looking down on all living beings.

He had seen this kind of gaze countless times in the Provincial Party Committee Compound, but no one could have this innate aura.

"Clack."

Li Zhenguo threw the white piece in his hand back into the chess basket.

"Satisfying!" The old master was not angry, but laughed out loud instead.