Chapter 101 The Negotiation Begins

Ten past ten, Fuhai Teahouse, the negotiation officially began.

Steaming tea was arranged on the table, the rich aroma of tea filling the private room.

An Qiqi was dressed in military uniform, her hair meticulously styled. With a serious expression, she sat at the tea table, completely devoid of the amiable demeanor of the girl next door from yesterday.

She turned her head to look at Jiang Zheng and asked, "Officer Tan has told you about the administrative faction's demands, right?"

"He did." Jiang Zheng said expressionlessly, frowning as he retorted, "I want to know, now that I've released Kong Zhenghui, how are you going to guarantee my brother's life?"

An Qiqi interlocked her fingers and replied very crisply, "Sentenced to death in the first trial, the original verdict upheld in the second trial, and a final sentence of life imprisonment. Once the public opinion subsides, he'll serve his sentence normally, receive normal sentence reductions, until he's released upon completion of his term."

Hearing this, Jiang Zheng was first taken aback, then raised his eyebrows and asked, "You're sentencing him to life imprisonment, he won't be out for at least twenty or thirty years, what's the difference between that and death?"

Tan Mingchao sat beside them, drinking tea and listening to their conversation, without saying a word.

An Qiqi immediately retorted, "You need to understand one thing! What he committed is a capital crime. Being able to save his life is already the greatest effort possible. You can't expect someone to hoard and sell dozens of tons of psychotropic drugs, then get exposed, and have the ringleader released from prison in three days, is that realistic?"

An Qiqi's voice was stern, but her logic was clear, her points were objective, and well-founded.

Jiang Zheng also argued with a cold expression, "If we're going to operate normally, then what am I negotiating with you for? Can't I also sentence Kong Zhenghui to life imprisonment?"

At this point, the room fell silent.

For An Qiqi, Jiang Zheng's words were being deliberately difficult and a threat.

Lu Guangwei was caught for drug trafficking, and public opinion was stirred up. But Kong Zhenghui was framed, there's no comparison at all.

An Qiqi sat upright, her brain working rapidly. After a long silence, she finally said, "Okay, then I'll take another step back. Sentenced to death in the first trial, you have Lu Guangwei appeal. The death sentence is upheld in the second trial, and he continues to appeal. The final sentence still maintains the original verdict. That way, these three litigation periods will take at least three years or so. When the time comes, before the execution, I'll find another death row inmate as a scapegoat and swap Lu Guangwei out."

Hearing this, Tan Mingchao put down his teacup and finally interjected, "I think this plan is very good. It already satisfies both parties' demands to the greatest extent."

Jiang Zheng didn't say anything, but was quickly calculating in his mind. He felt that the administrative faction's room for compromise hadn't reached its maximum, and three years was too long!

Given the current situation in The Dragon City Rises, who the hell knows what changes will happen in three years? It's possible that the administrative faction has already broken with the garrison. This plan might be their delaying tactic, they want to use this time to drag Lu Guangwei to his death.

After thinking it over, Jiang Zheng said, "I think your plan to switch people is acceptable. But there's one condition, three years is too long, public opinion won't take that long to subside. After the first trial sentence to death, I'll have Lu Guangwei appeal. You go directly to the final trial and keep the time to about a year. Switch him out before the execution, and I'll release Kong Zhenghui."

An Qiqi was stunned when she heard this, staring at Jiang Zheng and asking, "You mean, you can't release Kong Zhenghui first?"

Jiang Zheng said as a matter of course, "Of course not! If I release Kong Zhenghui first, what if you don't release the person?"

Hearing this, An Qiqi raised her eyebrows, "Are you kidding me? The premise of today's dialogue is that you have to release Kong Zhenghui first, then I can help you operate?! Do you think I'm here to trick you?"

Jiang Zheng didn't back down, and shook his head again, "I don't agree to release the person first. I can only accept that after Lu Guangwei is sentenced to death, you switch him out, and then I'll release Kong Zhenghui, otherwise there's no point in talking."

The two sides were deadlocked again. Tan Mingchao glanced at Jiang Zheng with a gloomy gaze, wanting to speak, but he held back.

After a long silence, An Qiqi raised her head and looked at Jiang Zheng with piercing eyes, asking, "Are you sure there's no room for negotiation?! This is the last time I'm asking you!"

Jiang Zheng interlocked his fingers and said, "At most, I can accept him being detained inside for a year and a half. To be honest, the situation in The Dragon City Rises is very unstable right now. Who knows what our relationship will be in a year and a half. As for releasing Kong Zhenghui first, that's definitely not going to happen. If Lu Guangwei can stay for a year, he can definitely stay too."

Hearing this, An Qiqi immediately nodded, "Okay, I understand."

Jiang Zheng sat there expressionlessly, picked up his teacup and took a sip.

An Qiqi turned her head to look at Tan Mingchao, "Officer Tan, come out, I have a few words to say to you."

Tan Mingchao thought for a moment, then got up and followed An Qiqi out of the private room.

After the two left, Jiang Zheng walked to the window and called Jiang Yuanzhen, briefly narrating the course of the negotiation, and finally said, "I think a year and a half is too long. Anyway, I'm sticking to my guns. If he doesn't release the person, I definitely won't release the person either. Can't listen to his lies!"

...

At the same time, in the corridor outside.

Tan Mingchao followed behind An Qiqi and said softly, "The gap between the two sides isn't that big. I'll go communicate with Jiang Zheng later..."

An Qiqi didn't answer, but pushed open another empty private room, turned her head and said to Tan Mingchao, "Come, come in and talk."

Tan Mingchao didn't think much, and entered the private room first. An Qiqi followed in and closed the door behind her.

Tan Mingchao sat down on the sofa and said, "Qiqi..."

An Qiqi waved her hand to interrupt him, "Wait a moment, I'll make a call."

Saying that, An Qiqi took out her phone in front of him, dialed a number, and said in a solemn tone, "Come up."

Tan Mingchao was stunned for a moment, "Who are you telling to come up?"

An Qiqi hung up the phone, glanced at Tan Mingchao, didn't answer, just stood at the door with a serious expression.

Tan Mingchao realized that something was wrong, and then he heard a roar of car engines from outside. His expression changed, and he quickly got up and walked to the window, pulled open the heavy gauze curtains, and glanced down.

A dozen military vehicles were parked below, and hundreds of An-faction soldiers were holding automatic rifles, surrounding the entire teahouse.

Tan Mingchao was a little surprised, and suddenly turned his head to look at An Qiqi, "What are you going to do? What does this mean?"

...

First floor corridor.

Qiu-ge, wearing a military uniform and carrying an automatic rifle, led a large group of soldiers up the stairs.

Several soldiers guarding the corridor hurriedly stopped him, and the platoon leader leading the team shouted directly at him, "What are you doing? Stop right there!"

Qiu-ge raised his gun, standing in the corridor, and opened fire directly!

"Bang bang!"

Gunshots rang out, and a cloud of blood mist burst out from the platoon leader's legs. He fell to the ground on his back, screaming miserably.

The remaining soldiers were stunned for a moment, then reached out to draw their guns.

"Get out!!"

Qiu-ge roared.

As soon as he finished speaking, the An-faction soldiers wearing bulletproof vests rushed up!

"Don't fucking move!"

"Crouch down, you Cnm's!"

"Heads down!!"

Before the opposing soldiers could draw their guns, a large number of An-faction soldiers had already rushed up, holding them down and beating them up!

Qiu-ge quickly moved forward, arriving unhindered at the door of the "Emerald Pavilion" private room.

"Bang!"

Qiu-ge raised his leg and kicked open the door.

...

In another private room, Tan Mingchao looked at An Qiqi and shouted in an agitated voice, "What you're doing is going to cause big trouble!! It's going to be a war!!"

An Qiqi's clear and bright eyes stared at him firmly, and she said word by word, "No, I'm helping you solve the trouble, Young Master Tan!"

Hearing this, Tan Mingchao suddenly froze there.

"Don't move. After the gunshots, the blame is ours, and a stable garrison is yours!" An Qiqi replied to him and turned to leave.

Tan Mingchao came back to his senses and was about to step forward when two An-faction soldiers walked in.

"Young Master Tan, please don't move."

...

The battle in the corridor ended quickly. The ground was covered with downed garrison soldiers. An Qiqi walked straight ahead, striding into the entrance of the Emerald Pavilion.

Inside the room, Qiu-ge and several soldiers were holding automatic rifles, pointing their guns at Jiang Zheng, who had a look of astonishment on his face.

Seeing An Qiqi enter, Jiang Zheng shouted at her, "An Qiqi, what does this mean?! Are you crazy?"

There was no hint of a smile on An Qiqi's face, and she pointed at him and said word by word, "You just don't know what's good for you! I gave you a way out, but you didn't take it. Okay, now I'm not giving it to you!! I'm telling you clearly, this case doesn't work at Lu Guangwei's level! I'm going to sentence you to death too!!"

Jiang Zheng was shocked and angry, "Sentence me to death!? If you fucking touch me...!"

"Fire!" An Qiqi ordered with a frown.

Qiu-ge obeyed and opened fire.

"Bang bang!"

"Ah!"

A scream rang out in the room. An Qiqi stepped forward, pointed at him and asked, "Is it okay to touch you like this?!! Young Master Jiang!"