"Are you from the Ding family?"
"Are you the boss of the Bureau of Commerce and Trade?"
The two spoke in unison, identifying each other's identities, and then shook hands to express their pleasure.
Zhang Liunian watched their tacit understanding with a complicated look.
"I just heard you talking about the Tang family. It seems you've also realized the situation in Nancheng. Before long, this Nancheng will be the Tang family's domain, and no one will be able to intervene." Ding Zhaoshan, seeing their silence, took the initiative to declare his allegiance.
Yan Guiguo glanced at Zhang Liunian after hearing this. Seeing him nod, he then replied, "I've indeed heard about Nancheng's economic situation. Over sixty percent is in the hands of the Tang family, another ten percent belongs to private businesses, and the remaining thirty percent is state-owned."
"That's exactly right. The Tang family's ambition is openly apparent." Speaking of their arch-rival, the Tang family, Ding Zhaoshan felt a shared sense of enmity.
Yan Guiguo nodded as he looked at Ding Zhaoshan, "For many years, Nancheng has had no domestic or foreign trade transactions. A large part of the reason is the Tang family's interference, which has rendered our position as good as useless."
It could be said that Yan Guiguo's predecessor was taken down because he was unable to act.
Yan Guiguo, having inherited this mess, certainly didn't want to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor. If he didn't want to tread the old path, he had to deal with the Tang family first and stop them from interfering.
"The Tang family's actions over the years have practically dragged us, the people of Nancheng, into the abyss. It would be wonderful if they could be dealt with." Ding Zhaoshan could see Yan Guiguo's intentions and didn't hesitate to express the Ding family's stance.
Although the Ding family was a prominent clan, Ding Zhaoshan was not exactly a top figure within it.
However, faced with the insatiably greedy Tang family, the Ding family had always wanted to destroy them but had never found the opportunity.
Now, Ding Zhaoshan felt that the opportunity seemed to have arrived.
"Alas, but we are few and weak, unable to break through, let alone curb the Tang family's development." Zhang Liunian thought of the lack of progress in the investigation he had requested from Master Huang and was inexplicably impressed by the Tang family's caution.
"This is indeed a pressing matter. If they are allowed to continue developing like this, Nancheng will become the Tang family's Nancheng, and no one will be able to develop or survive here."
Yan Guiguo agreed with this point, but neither of them alone could contend with the Tang family or uproot them.
Ding Zhaoshan remained silent for a while, then suddenly spoke, "Since that's the case, why don't we form a partnership, a collaboration to deal with the Tang family?"
As he said this, Zhang Liunian and Yan Guiguo both looked at him, their eyes full of surprise.
Ding Zhaoshan felt a bit self-conscious under their stares and rubbed his hands, "Our Ding family doesn't have a good relationship with the Tang family either, and we will inevitably clash with them in the future."
Given the Tang family's ambition to monopolize all industries, their Ding family would eventually be swallowed up.
Although the Tang family was currently only targeting new stars like Zhang Liunian, once they secured eighty percent of the market share, their Ding family would be the first to be affected.
"Good idea." Zhang Liunian smiled. He had thought he would have to initiate this, but he didn't expect Ding Zhaoshan to bring it up for him.
"Indeed, it's an excellent idea." Yan Guiguo also thought this method was good. After speaking, he glanced at the crowded pedestrians five meters away, queuing to buy braised meat, and then looked at Zhang Liunian, as if asking if their conversation could be overheard by these people.
Receiving his gaze, Zhang Liunian shook his head at him. But to be safe, Zhang Liunian still invited them to a room on the second floor to discuss their collaboration in detail.
Finally, the three reached a satisfactory agreement and returned to their respective places to begin gathering evidence to target the Tang family, aiming to uproot them.
"Uncle Ding, Uncle Yan, please take care." Zhang Liunian saw off the two influential figures of Nancheng and then went to find Fang Yan.
Upon arriving at Fang Yan's office, Zhang Liunian directly asked, "Have we found a solution for the construction site matter?"
"Not yet. They are still delaying, deliberately preventing our construction site from starting smoothly." Fang Yan looked troubled when discussing this.
Zhang Liunian knew this would be the outcome. "Just now, Uncle Ding and I reached a cooperation. We have formed an alliance to uproot the Tang family."
"So soon? Is he representing himself, or the entire Ding family?" Fang Yan was surprised. How did Zhang Liunian have the influence to make Ding Zhaoshan willing to ally with him?
"He is representing the Ding family, so they will be able to provide us with better information." Zhang Liunian believed the Ding family must have information about the Tang family.
"We do have some, but don't be too optimistic. If they had evidence that could directly bring down the Tang family, they wouldn't have waited until now without taking any action." Fang Yan couldn't help but dampen Zhang Liunian's great hopes for the Ding family.
Zhang Liunian chuckled, "I understand that naturally. It's just that one person's ideas are limited, while two people can come up with more."
Fang Yan looked at Zhang Liunian's smiling face, momentarily captivated by his smile. Then, remembering something, she reminded Zhang Liunian, "Ahem, your second brother is out. Did you know?"
"He's out? Impossible. His money was obtained through illicit means. How could he be released?" Zhang Liunian was greatly alarmed to hear that Zhang Liuxing was out. How could he be released? He was certain that Zhang Liuxing had taken his money.
"His money was indeed obtained through illicit means, and his family also has a considerable amount of savings. However, Tang Shikou stepped forward and claimed that the money was given by him, with the intention of marrying off a niece to him. The money was considered a betrothal gift.
This explanation might fool some people. In this day and age, no family would give a dowry of a hundred thousand yuan to marry off their daughter. But somehow, this excuse was accepted, Zhang Liuxing was released, and the money was legitimized."
In fact, Fang Yan also believed that Zhang Liuxing had taken Zhang Liunian's money because Zhang Liunian's explanation was reasonable, and she knew the Tang family's character well. They would absolutely not spend a hundred thousand yuan to marry off a daughter.
The Tang family might be wealthy, but they wouldn't spend such a large sum of money to marry off a daughter.
"Heh, he's hitched his wagon to the Tang family's ship!" Zhang Liunian sneered, thinking to himself that it would be best to take it back directly tonight.
If it couldn't be taken back openly, then some unconventional methods would have to be employed.
"I also didn't expect your second brother to be this kind of person. Now that he's sided with the Tang family, your relationship with him..." Fang Yan's unfinished sentence implied a future conflict.
Zhang Liunian naturally understood her implication, but he didn't care. He and Zhang Liuxing never got along well. Now that he had taken his opponent's side, it was merely bringing their intentions into the open.
"He who kills by the sword shall perish by the sword. I believe he understands this principle. If he doesn't want me as his brother, I can certainly treat him as an enemy. Let's not dwell on this. You should quickly find a way to unseal the construction site."
Uncle Ma was scheduled to arrive in Nancheng in a few days. It wouldn't do if the construction site was still unable to commence by then.
"I am trying to find a way, but to get the Tang family to relent, we will need to find some helpers." Fang Yan was already devising a plan, but her network in Nancheng couldn't compare to the Tang family's.
Although she knew a few people, it wasn't certain if they would be useful.