"Mm-hmm."
Yu Mengzhi pressed closer.
She said again, "I believe in you. You're the most capable."
Chen Jinzhao forced a smile. "Please don't think that way. You attended the banquet tonight. Anyone in there is more capable than me. I'm just a tiny ant in front of them."
"Especially your cousin and Qin Fengwu."
Yu Mengzhi chuckled, "I don't care. In my heart, you're the best. They only rely on their prominent family backgrounds, while you rely on your own abilities. How can they compare to you?"
Chen Jinzhao mused, "The rich rely on their money, the poor rely on mutations?"
That phrase fit him rather well...
He snapped back to reality and said to Yu Mengzhi, "Even if we are just two pawns on a chessboard, we have the right to control our own destiny. When autumn comes in the ninth month, my flowers will bloom, and a hundred others will wither; the scent will fill Chang'an, and the whole city will be clad in golden armor!"
Chen Jinzhao, being a pawn, also harbored the desire to become the player!
Yu Mengzhi felt the overbearing aura radiating from her boyfriend and liked him even more. She genuinely believed that there was no man in the world more outstanding than Chen Jinzhao.
Perhaps this was what they called "love makes the eye blind."
Chen Jinzhao glanced at the time and said to Yu Mengzhi, "I'll take you back to the hotel first. I still have some matters to attend to."
"No!"
Yu Mengzhi's arms wrapped around Chen Jinzhao's neck, refusing to let go. She added, "Wherever you go, I go with you."
Only with Chen Jinzhao by her side could Yu Mengzhi feel at ease.
Chen Jinzhao thought for a moment and said, "Alright, then I'll take you to see something grand, something you've never seen before."
Yu Mengzhi's eyes lit up, and she pestered Chen Jinzhao like a little girl, asking what grand event it was. Chen Jinzhao said mysteriously, "I can't tell you yet. You'll know when the time comes."
"Hmph!"
"You, Chen Jinzhao, you sneaky Chen Jinzhao, you're the fastest at keeping secrets," Yu Mengzhi grumbled playfully.
In the end.
She obediently got into the car.
Chen Jinzhao drove towards the garden where the Su family in Jiangnan resided, estimating that the time should be about right.
Before he could start the engine, Tao Qiyue's call came in. Her voice was solemn as she said, "You weren't wrong. Those people made their move tonight. Fortunately, we arrived in time, or Bai Meizi and Yu Huaiqing might have been killed."
"Were the culprits caught?" Chen Jinzhao asked.
As for the encounter of Bai Meizi and Yu Huaiqing, Chen Jinzhao could only offer an apology in his heart.
Tao Qiyue's voice, barely concealing her excitement, confirmed with a "mm," "They've been caught. The leader of these people is extremely cunning. Upon learning that their plan was exposed, he immediately fled to seek refuge outside the Japanese delegation's residence. Fortunately, our people managed to control that individual before the Japanese diplomats could, otherwise it would have certainly brewed a terrible incident with unimaginable consequences."
Chen Jinzhao mused, "What is the condition of Bai Meizi and Yu Huaiqing?"
"They sustained some superficial injuries but no life-threatening ones. I'm accompanying them to Jiangning," Tao Qiyue replied.
"What are you doing in Jiangning?" Chen Jinzhao asked, confused.
"This wasn't my idea. Bai Meizi insisted on it, and I couldn't stop her. I consulted Director Wang, and he also approved it, so I ended up coming along somewhat bewildered," Tao Qiyue said with a touch of helplessness. Bai Meizi's family background was undeniable, and sometimes grassroots officials like Tao Qiyue had to comply with the directives issued by powerful families.
It was worth mentioning—
After the previous incident, Yu Hongzhi had died, leaving the position of Jiangning Municipal Bureau Chief vacant. After assessment from above, it was decided to appoint Wang Zhenliang as the acting head of the Jiangning Municipal Bureau, with the possibility of formal appointment at the next plenary session.
"Alright, we'll meet at the entrance of the Su family's residence then," Chen Jinzhao said.
Tao Qiyue acknowledged.
Hanging up the phone, Chen Jinzhao felt a moment of daze and murmured, "How much does Su Hao hate Su Yuan? On one hand, he sent people to assassinate Bai Meizi, and on the other, he instigated someone to seek refuge with the Japanese delegation. Either of these actions would cause a huge uproar, and the entire Su family could be implicated."
Su Hao was a dangerous individual, willing to do anything to achieve his goals!
Chen Jinzhao would have to eliminate him sooner or later.
"What happened?" Yu Mengzhi vaguely heard her third brother's name.
Chen Jinzhao said sternly, "Someone made a move against Yu Huaiqing and Bai Meizi. We need to rush over and see what the situation is."
Yu Mengzhi quickly inquired about Yu Huaiqing's current condition. Relieved to learn that his life was not in danger, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Meanwhile, at the Jiangning State Guest House.
The banquet had concluded, and a private meeting convened by Qin Fengwu was now underway. Li Tiance found it uninteresting and had left the guest house with his brother, Li Tiannan, early on.
Qin Fengwu sat at the head of the table, exuding an imposing aura.
The young scions of influential families seated below him were arranged strictly according to their family background and personal status. This was likely Qin Fengwu's future inner circle, so those seated below spoke enthusiastically, showcasing their ideas to Qin Fengwu in hopes of being entrusted with important tasks.
The private meeting had been in session for an hour, focusing specifically on two topics—
First, how to thwart Li Tiance; second, how to deal with the troublesome Chen Jinzhao.
Due to the extremely high security at the venue, no audio or video recordings of this meeting would be leaked, allowing for extremely candid discussions.
For instance, Su Hao, the most radical, stated bluntly, "In my opinion, no method is as effective as physical elimination. As long as these two can be permanently removed from this world, who else can stop Brother Qin?"
The attendees collectively gasped. This idea was far too bold.
These people had considered such methods before but had never dared to utter them out of fear of public condemnation. Only Su Hao, the troublemaker, dared to speak of it.
"Little Hao, don't spout nonsense," Su Yuan reprimanded.
Su Hao gave Su Yuan a meaningful glance, then withdrew his gaze and sneered, "Unless, esteemed sirs, you have a better method than mine? If you can come up with one, I promise not to mention this again."
The others remained silent.
Eyes turned towards Qin Fengwu, awaiting his pronouncement.
Qin Fengwu smiled and said, "Su Hao, such matters must not be mentioned again. Previously, we all adhered to the principle of prioritizing harmony in our dealings. How can we break the bottom line now? If we truly do so, we will inevitably be viewed as a thorn in the side by others. No one wants someone without a bottom line to be in power. Therefore, I hope you will change this way of thinking in the future, or you won't go far."
The crowd repeatedly praised Qin Fengwu for his magnanimity and predicted his future rise to power.
Only Su Hao and a small number of others could discern the deeper meaning in Qin Fengwu's words. Direct action was absolutely out of the question, but what if Li Tiance and Chen Jinzhao died due to some unforeseen accident?
Would they still be held responsible?
Su Hao sneered inwardly, but he did not voice it.
At this moment.
Qin Fengwu's phone vibrated a few times. He took it out, glanced at it, and his brow furrowed. He first looked at Su Yuan, and then his gaze shifted to Su Hao.
Everyone found it inexplicable. Before they could ask, everyone else's phones also began to vibrate.
Su Yuan was no exception.
He opened the message and quickly scanned it, then suddenly stood up in shock, his face turning pale.
Something had happened!