"Don't, absolutely not," Chen Feng said immediately, stopping her.
"Why?" Qin Yan was taken aback. Chen Feng had always been kind-hearted; wouldn't it be good to prevent more people from being scammed? Why was he stopping her?
"County Mayor Qin, you're a seasoned veteran of the political arena. You should understand some things. If you tell others about this and they all go to demand refunds, do you think you'll be able to get your money back? Mingda Company isn't foolish. If so many people suddenly show up to demand refunds, they'll know things have gone south and will flee without hesitation." Chen Feng explained earnestly.
"Then what should we do?" Qin Yan felt a wave of dizziness.
"We can only pretend not to know! Do not mention this matter to anyone, now or in the future. If anyone asks you about it, just say you didn't get your money back. That way, no matter what the final outcome is, no one will blame you." Chen Feng said seriously.
"But... to watch my relatives lose everything, I can't bear it," Qin Yan said with a troubled expression.
"It's unavoidable. In this world, one is often at the mercy of circumstances. Of course, if you truly can't bear it, there is one other method..." Chen Feng paused as if hesitant.
"What method?" Qin Yan's eyes blazed with eagerness.
"You don't get your money back yourself, but have the relative among your kin who invested the most go and get it back." Chen Feng said earnestly.
"Like that? Forget it then." After Chen Feng suggested this, Qin Yan felt the guilt in her heart disappear. Fine, in the face of disaster, self-preservation was the most realistic approach. As for her relatives, she could only blame their bad luck for not having a friend as wise as Chen Feng.
"Chen Feng, when is a good time to go?" Qin Yan pressed.
"Now, not a second to lose. Remember, absolutely no third person must know about this, or else, not only will you not get your money back, you'll also get caught up in the scandal." Chen Feng warned. Qin Yan was not foolish; she understood Chen Feng's words of caution. Without a word, Qin Yan immediately went to the provincial capital.
Chen Feng, meanwhile, remained in Jiujiu County, secretly collecting evidence of the Dawang family's crimes. In three days, Li Xue would definitely send the provincial special police team, and that would be the time for the black forces in Jiujiu County to collapse completely.
After two days of covert evidence collection, Chen Feng was shocked. The crimes committed by the Dawang family far exceeded his imagination. Among them, there was one matter that he had to intervene and stop immediately, without waiting for the provincial special police team.
It turned out that the Dawang family had set their sights on the land of a high school in Jiujiu County and were using coercion to force Jiujiu High School to relocate to a town further down. The price difference from relocating Jiujiu High School from the county seat to the town would allow the Dawang family to make a hefty profit. Chen Feng wasn't considering this issue from a financial perspective, but rather from the perspective of education in Jiujiu County. If Jiujiu High School were to move to the town below, many excellent students would be lost. They would undoubtedly go to high schools in neighboring counties or to Nanmiao City. The vast majority of parents in China held a fixed belief that high schools in towns were always inferior.
Thus, Chen Feng went directly to the head of the Dawang family, Dawang Wuyu.
"Vice County Mayor Chen, what wind blows you here?" Dawang Wuyu looked at Chen Feng with disdain. Not only did he not put a mere vice county mayor in his eyes, but he also didn't put the county mayor in his eyes. The Dawang family had deep backing, reaching directly to the Religious Affairs Bureau of Nanmiao City, and even to the Religious Affairs Bureau of the capital. With these two powerful shields, he truly didn't fear a mere vice county mayor.
"Jiujiu County High School must absolutely not be relocated," Chen Feng stated his purpose directly.
"You say it won't be relocated, so it won't? Let me tell you, I have an approval document from the Nanmiao City Religious Affairs Bureau, and I can requisition the land of Jiujiu County High School for religious development. What qualifications does a mere vice county mayor have to block a decision from Nanmiao City?" Dawang Wuyu replied disdainfully.
"The higher authorities indeed have the right, but the lower levels are not entirely without authority. Especially for extraordinary matters concerning land, if the lower levels firmly insist on disagreement, the policies from above cannot be implemented. It's like an ancient Chinese saying, 'A general outside the command has the authority to disobey the emperor's orders!' Localities can, depending on the specific situation, refuse unreasonable policies from above." Chen Feng replied calmly.
"Chen Feng, what you say has merit. The lower levels do have a certain degree of autonomy. However, don't forget, if you go head-to-head with the authorities, they will make your life very, very miserable afterward." Dawang Wuyu threatened Chen Feng.
"We'll discuss future matters later. In any case, for now, you absolutely cannot forcibly relocate Jiujiu County High School!" Chen Feng responded firmly.
"..." Dawang Wuyu was momentarily speechless, unsure of what to say. In the past, in Jiujiu County, no one dared to oppose anything he said or did. He never expected that now, over a mere relocation, someone would stand up to object.
"Chen Feng, you've got guts. I admit defeat. However, I believe that in this world, no one is enemies with money. As long as you turn a blind eye, half the money from Jiujiu County High School will be yours." Dawang Wuyu thought for a moment. Encountering such a tough opponent, he could only try a monetary offensive. Money, after all, was the best weapon, effective everywhere.
"I'm sorry, I can't! Jiujiu County High School has been on its original land for over a decade, and it's doing fine. There's no need to relocate," Chen Feng replied righteously.
"Chen Feng, what is it? You're not swayed by soft or hard tactics?" Dawang Wuyu glared at Chen Feng, his eyes bloodshot.
"You could say that." Chen Feng was unhurried, another day and the three-day deadline would pass, and the entire Dawang family would end up in prison. There was nothing to fear.
"You have courage! Chen Feng, I gave you a chance, and you didn't cherish it. There's nothing I can do then." Dawang Wuyu glared at Chen Feng, his expression filled with murderous intent.
"Dawang Wuyu, I advise you to pull back from the brink. China is becoming increasingly civilized, and dark forces like yours won't last long. Surrender early and seek leniency." Chen Feng continued unhurriedly.
"Shut up! My affairs don't require your concern, boy. You just worry about yourself." Dawang Wuyu roared.
Chen Feng wasted no more words and turned to leave. Dawang Wuyu had achieved his goal of abandoning the forced relocation of Jiujiu County High School. As for what sinister measures Dawang Wuyu might take against him next, that was not important!
An hour later, Chen Feng returned to his dormitory. The entire dormitory building gave Chen Feng a sense of oppressive wrongness. Normally, the Jiujiu County government personnel lived there in peace and harmony, but today, it was inexplicably filled with killing intent. All Jiujiu County government personnel associated with Dawang Wuyu were no longer in the building...