"Elder Hong, what countermeasures do we have against Chen Feng next?" Li Hongling asked excitedly.
"Of course we do. I've decided to get ahead of Chen Feng and implement the local currency plan. This way, Chen Feng will be out of options. Hahaha." Hong Tianchao said with a gleeful smile.
"Elder Hong, to be honest, this method is indeed good, but it feels very dangerous. How about we plan more carefully?" Li Hongling ventured.
"You don't understand. This is called seeking wealth amidst danger. The higher you are in the political arena, the more you need to seek wealth amidst danger. Small skirmishes at the bottom of the political ladder are clearly not suitable for the top. In the power struggles at the highest levels, every step carries immense risk, and a single misstep can cost you your life." Hong Tianchao explained earnestly.
"Elder Hong, since it's so dangerous, why bother with power struggles? Honestly, a mayor of a provincial-level municipality in China, like yourself, is already a very powerful figure. Even if you don't strive for anything, you'll live a life of luxury forever. There's really no need to contend for power and put yourself in mortal danger." Li Hongling hesitated.
Since there was a risk to his life, it was best not to proceed.
Whether it was Hong Tianchao or herself, the head of the provincial-level state-owned assets supervision and administration commission, neither of them needed to risk their lives for power struggles. It wasn't worth it.
"You don't understand the mindset of those at the top of the political arena. Let me put it this way: at my level, what I want is fame. Nothing else matters." Hong Tianchao said earnestly.
"Fame?" Li Hongling was taken aback.
"Yes, fame. You are someone I've brought aboard. I won't lie to you. My greatest wish right now is to become the paramount leader of China and leave an indelible mark in Chinese history. I would be willing even if it meant death. It's like your desire to become the first female mayor of a provincial-level municipality. Extraordinary fame makes us act recklessly." Hong Tianchao replied expansively.
Li Hongling stopped asking questions. The matter was settled, and there was nothing more to ask.
Moreover, this time, Chen Feng was completely in the dark. Hong Tianchao was a leader with great foresight and courage. The issuance of local currency would not be a major problem.
Thus, Li Hongling set aside her work and fully assisted Hong Tianchao with the local digital currency initiative.
From this perspective, Chen Feng was truly a political genius. Knowing that the central government had strict regulations on local currency issuance, he devised a plan to start subtly and tracelessly with digital currency, localizing it. Once local digital currencies became established and gained momentum, the central government would have to accept it as a fait accompli.
While Li Hongling and Hong Tianchao were vigorously pushing forward with the local digital currency, Chen Feng calmly traveled to the capital.
Chen Feng's purpose in going to the capital was simple: to utterly destroy Hong Tianchao and Li Hongling.
Deep down, Chen Feng did not want to kill Hong Tianchao and Li Hongling.
To be honest, their actions, all for the sake of fame, did not warrant death.
However, for the long-term interests of China, he had to take drastic measures.
If he did not ascend to the position of paramount leader of China, decades of China's efforts could be reduced to naught.
Therefore, anyone who obstructed his path to becoming the paramount leader of China had to die.
As an ancient Chinese saying goes, "The imperial family has always been heartless."
To achieve the dominance of a king, one cannot tolerate even a shred of pity.
"What? You want to eliminate Li Hongling and Hong Tianchao?" Wang Jianshan was greatly alarmed after hearing Chen Feng's statement.
Killing Hong Tianchao was understandable.
Both were mayors of provincial-level municipalities, and both were determined to secure the position of paramount leader of China.
For supreme power, death was normal.
But the problem was that Li Hongling was Chen Feng's god-sister, and not just an ordinary god-sister.
Over the past few decades, Li Hongling had helped Chen Feng a great deal.
"Yes." Chen Feng replied firmly.
"Chen Feng, if I recall correctly, Li Hongling is one of your many women. The whole world knows how you cherish your women. Why suddenly resort to killing?" Wang Jianshan asked, confused.
"Elder Wang, under normal circumstances, I am indeed good to my women. I'm not boasting. Decades have passed, and the women who were with me then are still with me now. Women are not foolish. If a man isn't good to them, how could they stay with him for a lifetime? However, Li Hongling is a special case. To be honest, I never expected Li Hongling to turn out this way. She was enticed by the position of mayor of Ming City offered by Hong Tianchao and colluded with him to put me to death. There's nothing I can do. I am who I am. Whoever wants me dead, I will make sure they die, without any mercy. Even if it's a woman I value greatly." Chen Feng replied earnestly.
"Chen Feng, hearing you say that, I understand. I am also a member of the political arena. If anyone obstructs my path, I would undoubtedly kill them without hesitation. But the problem is, your vision has always been grand. Even if your woman, Li Hongling, obstructed your path, you wouldn't resort to killing. At most, you could send her to prison. After all, Li Hongling has been with you for decades." Wang Jianshan asked, perplexed.
"Elder Wang, you do understand me." Chen Feng smiled calmly.
"You are my son-in-law, so of course I understand you. You haven't yet revealed the true reason for killing Li Hongling. There's no one else here, so speak freely." Wang Jianshan inquired.
"Elder Wang, since you've put it this way, I won't hide anything. Originally, I wouldn't have needed to kill Li Hongling, even if she betrayed me. To be honest, those of us in politics have long since accepted many things. Life is a grand arena of interests. Where there are interests, there is bound to be betrayal. There's no need to kill someone for something that has become commonplace. But the problem is, Li Hongling's collusion with Hong Tianchao this time is not a matter of ordinary interest disputes. It concerns whether I can ascend to the position of paramount leader of China, and whether I can hold onto it securely. This is a very serious matter. China, after decades of hard work, has finally achieved its current glorious achievements. It absolutely cannot be destroyed because Hong Tianchao becomes the paramount leader of China. Therefore, I have decided to make Hong Tianchao and Li Hongling disappear forever, eliminating any future trouble. While this is cruel, it must be done for the long-term interests of China. Since I have decided to ascend to the position of paramount leader of China, I cannot be soft-hearted." Chen Feng explained calmly.
Wang Jianshan did not press further.
A sense of relief spread through his heart.
Someone like Chen Feng, who lacked pity, could achieve great things.
"By the way, Chen Feng, how do you plan to retaliate against Hong Tianchao?" Wang Jianshan asked instinctively.
"It's precisely by using Hong Tianchao's local digital currency plan. For this alone, Hong Tianchao deserves the death penalty. Li Hongling is an accomplice, and she also deserves the death penalty." Chen Feng said calmly.
"The theory is sound, but as far as I know, Hong Tianchao is no ordinary person. He's not a fool, and he must know that implementing a local digital currency plan is a dead end. Since he dares to do it, it means he has made thorough preparations. It's difficult to trap a leader who has made thorough preparations. To put it bluntly, someone who can reach the position of mayor of a provincial-level municipality is not an ordinary person." Wang Jianshan said cautiously.
"Elder Wang, you don't need to worry about that. Everything is under control." Chen Feng smiled calmly.
"What? Everything is under control?" Wang Jianshan was taken aback.
"Yes, Elder Wang, everything is indeed under control. To be frank, from the moment I deliberately enticed Hong Tianchao to implement the local currency system, I had already planned how to trap him. In fact, trapping Hong Tianchao is very simple: an eye for an eye. Hong Tianchao knows how to use someone close to me to trap me, and similarly, I can use someone close to Hong Tianchao to trap him." Chen Feng explained calmly.
"You mean... you bribed Hong Tianchao's subordinate?"
"To tell Elder Wang the truth, I bribed Hong Tianchao's subordinate more than ten years ago. I've been waiting for this opportunity, keeping my cards close to my chest. In short, if you don't do it, don't do it at all. But if you do, make sure to eliminate Hong Tianchao completely." Chen Feng said with a calm expression.
"Bribed him more than ten years ago?" Wang Jianshan was completely shocked.
This foresight was simply incredible.
Who among the young people had such foresight? He had planned this more than ten years ago.
This showed that Chen Feng was indeed someone who could achieve great things.
"Yes, Elder Wang. If you don't have foresight in the political arena, you won't get anywhere. Doesn't China have an old saying? 'He who does not plan for the future will find sorrow near at hand.'" Chen Feng replied calmly.
"By the way, Chen Feng, who did you subvert? Which subordinate of Hong Tianchao?" Wang Jianshan tried to probe.
In Wang Jianshan's opinion, bribing a low-level employee was not difficult.
However, subverting the confidant of a provincial-level municipality mayor was a different matter entirely.