Everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events.
The person who slapped Chen Feng was none other than the head of the Provincial Investment Promotion Bureau.
The reason for his personal vendetta against Chen Feng was simple: Chen Feng had overshadowed him in investment promotion.
He had wanted to deal with Chen Feng for a long time, but with Xiang Wentian backing him, he hadn't dared to lay a hand on Chen Feng.
Who would have thought that fate would suddenly present him with such a golden opportunity?
No matter how influential Xiang Wentian was, he couldn't be more influential than the Japanese little princess.
"You..."
The Japanese little princess instinctively wanted to trouble Hong Yun, the head of the Provincial Investment Promotion Bureau. However, the words stopped at her lips.
With so many people present, if she defended Chen Feng in public, Chen Feng's slap would have been in vain.
"Forget it, a slap is enough to make a point. I don't want to ruin my image for a subordinate."
The Japanese little princess deliberately emphasized the word "subordinate" loudly.
"Your Highness, you are absolutely right. Chen Feng is just a subordinate, and it would lower my status to get angry with him. By the way, Your Highness, rest assured, we will deal with Chen Feng seriously to maintain our bilateral relations."
Hong Yun seized the opportunity to amplify the situation.
He loudly emphasized the words "bilateral relations."
"You handle it as you see fit."
The Japanese little princess was about to scold Hong Yun for repeatedly bothering Chen Feng. However, after a quick glance at Chen Feng's expression, she swallowed her words once again.
Chen Feng's calm and collected demeanor indicated that he was in control of everything.
Although Chen Feng was still only the head of the Development and Reform Bureau of Mingshan District, he had been navigating the political arena for a long time and was extremely experienced.
Dealing with the head of the Investment Promotion Bureau should not be a difficult task.
After speaking, the Japanese little princess left the banquet hall immediately.
After the Japanese little princess departed, Chen Feng made his move.
He was no longer the subordinate driver he once was; the days when anyone could bully him, a low-level official, were gone forever!
He was the head of the Development and Reform Bureau of Mingshan District. While he was not yet comparable to the head of the Provincial Investment Promotion Bureau, he was not someone the head of the Investment Promotion Bureau could bully as he pleased.
Moreover, this wasn't just a minor slight; it was a slap in the face from the past, and it was something he absolutely could not tolerate.
The political arena was like this: one couldn't dwell on every single issue, but neither could one have no bottom line. People without a bottom line could not thrive in the political arena.
As the saying goes, there are things one can tolerate, and things one cannot.
"Hong Yun, did you just slap me?"
Chen Feng walked up to Hong Yun and asked directly.
"Yes, I did slap you. Is there a problem? Chen Feng, to tell you the truth, not only do I want to slap you, but I also want to send you to prison. You're an old hand in politics, so you should know the unwritten rules of Chinese politics. For foreign-related incidents, the handling is very strict. You displeased the Japanese little princess. Do you think the province will let you off the hook?"
Hong Yun replied with a smug look.
"Hong Yun, I regret to inform you that it's not that I don't understand politics, but that you don't understand politics. Do you really think I angered the Japanese little princess?"
Chen Feng retorted coldly.
"Otherwise?"
Hong Yun countered.
Just now, in front of everyone, the Japanese little princess had not only scolded him but was also about to slap him. If this wasn't angering the Japanese little princess, then what was?
"Hong Yun, you'll probably spend the rest of your life in prison, so I might as well tell you the truth. Before, the Japanese little princess and I were acting..."
Chen Feng replied coldly.
"Acting?"
Hong Yun was stunned.
"Of course, it was acting. If the Japanese little princess was really difficult to get along with, why were our relations so harmonious before?"
With Chen Feng's explanation, Hong Yun suddenly remembered. The Japanese investment delegation had been in the provincial capital for more than a day or two, and the Japanese little princess had indeed not had any unpleasant encounters with Chen Feng.
It was too strange for the Japanese little princess to suddenly change her tune.
"What exactly are you two up to?"
Hong Yun questioned with bloodshot eyes.
"The Japanese little princess and I are indeed up to something, but you are not qualified to know, nor will you have the opportunity to know."
Chen Feng replied with a murderous gaze.
"What do you mean?"
Hong Yun asked with confusion.
"Take a look at this, and you'll know."
After speaking, Chen Feng handed Hong Yun an A4 paper, on which was clearly written a diplomatic investigation request.
"This is slander! I'm desperate to curry favor with the Japanese little princess, how could I possibly harm her?"
Hong Yun roared.
"Hong Yun, borrowing your words from earlier. You've been in politics for nothing. Is there right or wrong in politics? No! If they say you're right, even if you're wrong, you're right! If they say you're wrong, even if you're not wrong, you're wrong! This is politics, a political arena where people are framed without a trace."
Chen Feng explained calmly.
"Chen Feng, I was wrong. I shouldn't have slapped you in front of everyone earlier."
Without a second thought, Hong Yun knelt down.
"Hong Yun, if you had offended me elsewhere, I might have let it go. I'm not as petty as you think. However, you slapped me in front of everyone. I'm sorry, I can't just let it slide. I want everyone to know how dire the consequences are for slapping me, Chen Feng!"
Chen Feng explained coldly.
"Chen Feng, I was truly wrong. How about this, as long as you don't send me to prison, all my money is yours."
Hong Yun said anxiously.
"Hong Yun, to tell you the truth, I love money very much. I'm not that noble, only serving the people and not for money. I serve both for money and for the people. However, I will not take a single cent of your money; I only ask that you spend the rest of your life in prison. Don't hold out any hope. You know very well how much weight a diplomatic investigation request carries in China."
After speaking, Chen Feng left the banquet hall without further ado.
Hong Yun, as if his soul had been extracted, slumped to the ground.
"Elder Hong, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
The second-in-command of the Provincial Investment Promotion Bureau quickly went forward to check on Hong Yun.
"Drive me to the detention center."
Hong Yun stated directly.
"Elder Hong, the Provincial Investment Promotion Bureau is in a great situation right now. Why are you suddenly going to the detention center?"
The second-in-command asked, confused.
"To surrender myself to the detention center and serve a shorter sentence."
Hong Yun replied with a dejected expression.
"Surrender myself for what?"
The second-in-command became even more bewildered.
To be honest, although Hong Yun was not as influential as the top official in the provincial capital, Xiang Wentian, he wasn't so incompetent that a minor mistake would land him in prison.
"I offended Chen Feng."
Hong Yun said with a look of profound regret.
"Elder Hong, did I hear you correctly? Isn't Chen Feng the director of the Development and Reform Bureau of Mingshan District in Jiangcheng City? A small, ordinary political official. Does offending him have such severe consequences?"
The second-in-command was stunned.
"That's what I thought initially too. Who knew this kid Chen Feng was not as simple as he seemed and actually managed to win over the Japanese little princess."
"What? Chen Feng won over the Japanese little princess? How is that possible? Japanese people always look down on Chinese people, let alone a Japanese little princess? She would be won over by an ordinary political official?"
The second-in-command exclaimed in shock.
"Who knows how Chen Feng won over the Japanese little princess? The reality is that the Japanese little princess, in order to please Chen Feng, directly sent me to prison with a diplomatic investigation request. With such a document, I have no choice but to go to prison."
Hong Yun said with deep regret.
"Elder Hong, actually, you don't need to be so pessimistic. The Japanese little princess is very powerful, but she can't cover the sky with one hand. You are the head of the Provincial Investment Promotion Bureau, which is a significant position. How about we both go and plead with Xiang Wentian? It shouldn't be a big problem."
The second-in-command ventured tentatively.