"Let her go!"
Tang Ruolin shouted.
"Jiang Tiansheng, who do you think you are, coming here to arrest people? Do you have me in your eyes?"
Jiang Tiansheng calmly replied, "What, Young Master Tang, are you suggesting that this woman's actions were instigated by you?"
"And if they were?"
Jiang Tiansheng narrowed his eyes and said, "She is my woman. I will bear any consequences for her. Dare to come here and arrest people? Do you know who I am, Jiang Tiansheng?"
"The Young Master of the Tang family in Modu!"
Jiang Tiansheng, with a hint of mockery in his tone, smiled, "Young Master Tang, you still have a chance to change your tune. This woman's actions have nothing to do with you. Cut ties with her, and everything will be unrelated to you. This will be beneficial for you!"
Meng Dandan was merely a small matter, not worth his effort. His entire plan was to ensnare Tang Ruolin as well.
To move against the Young Master of the powerful Tang family in Modu, one needed a valid reason and justification.
The job had to be done cleanly, the execution perfect, and it must not cause trouble for Mr. Long.
Although Mr. Long did not fear trouble, as his subordinate, he had to consider all angles.
Hearing Jiang Tiansheng's relaxed and mocking tone, Tang Ruolin felt a surge of anger. He scoffed, "Jiang Tiansheng, you, a mere street tough, dare to be arrogant in front of me? Shengshi Group, is it so impressive? In front of my Tang family, it's nothing!"
Jiang Tiansheng's expression visibly darkened.
"I'm making this clear today: if you dare to harm a single hair on Dandan, I'll make sure you regret it!"
Saying this, he took out his phone to make a call.
Jiang Tiansheng let out a cold laugh, showing no intention of stopping him.
"Uncle Yang, it's me, Ruolin. Yes, yes, I'm in Hangjiang. I was planning to visit you, but I've run into some trouble here..."
"Steward Huang, it's me, Tang Ruolin. Do you have some time for a meal? It's like this, I've encountered some trouble here in Hangjiang. There's someone named Jiang, Jiang Tiansheng, who seems to have some influence in the underworld. He wants to take my girlfriend away over a trivial matter. Uh-huh, uh-huh, alright..."
"Young Master Wen, do you have time for some tea? I've run into a bit of a situation..."
After making three calls in quick succession, Tang Ruolin looked at Jiang Tiansheng with a cold smile.
It was evident that the people he called were not to be trifled with.
While the Tang family's sphere of influence was not in Hangjiang, Modu was not too far away, and he had his connections there.
Especially his connections with official circles, which created a natural form of suppression against someone like Jiang Tiansheng, whose background was not entirely clean.
Meng Dandan was overjoyed. She broke free from her restraint, hugged Tang Ruolin, and said sweetly, "Darling, you're amazing!"
Seeing that Tang Ruolin was protecting her, she cast a smug glance at Jiang Tiansheng and said, "You, Jiang, you're not clean yourself. If you want to mess with me, you're still far from it!"
Jiang Tiansheng smiled, "Young Master Tang, it seems you've made up your mind to get involved?"
"So what?" Tang Ruolin sneered, "Jiang Tiansheng, apologize to my woman now, and I might let you off the hook. If you're courting death, you can spend the rest of your life in prison!"
"You, a street punk, think you're in the clear just because you've gone legitimate? The dirty will always be dirty. It's just a matter of a word to take you down!"
Jiang Tiansheng shook his head and pulled out his phone to make a call.
He uttered two simple words: "Act!"
He hung up the phone.
Tang Ruolin blinked, then let out a cold laugh. "Jiang Tiansheng, still trying to put on a show in front of me? You think you can threaten me? Your status is far too low. It's only in Hangjiang; if this were Modu, I could have you killed without a ripple!"
Jiang Tiansheng said calmly, "Young Master Tang, let me teach you a lesson today. You can have women, but remember to find ones who are well-behaved and honest, so you don't get dragged down.
"Also, there are some people whose identities you cannot afford to offend!"
"You?" Tang Ruolin laughed heartily, arrogantly, "Fine, Jiang Tiansheng. Since you refuse to see the light of day until you're forced to, I'll oblige you. In a while, you'll be crying!"
Jiang Tiansheng couldn't be bothered anymore. He checked his watch and suddenly stood up.
The crowd outside the door parted.
With the sound of footsteps, Xiang Jingshu, dressed in casual clothes but exuding a heroic and radiant demeanor, strode in with two subordinates.
"Miss Xiang!"
Jiang Tiansheng greeted her.
Xiang Jingshu's gaze fell on Meng Dandan, and she gestured.
Her subordinate took out his badge, flashed it in front of Meng Dandan, and said sternly, "Meng Dandan, you are suspected of colluding with foreign forces, poisoning a key figure, and threatening national security. You are hereby requested to come with us to cooperate with the investigation!"
Meng Dandan was stunned for a moment, not quite comprehending.
Xiang Jingshu, however, took out handcuffs, grabbed Meng Dandan's hands, and snapped them on with a click.
"No, no, what are you doing?" Meng Dandan cried out in panic.
"National Security Department operation. Please cooperate!"
Xiang Jingshu said indifferently.
"What do you mean?" Tang Ruolin was also startled and shouted, "You're from national security? What does this have to do with you?"
"It's already been made clear," Xiang Jingshu said calmly. "Threatening national security. Take her away!"
Tang Ruolin's first reaction was disbelief. Meng Dandan poisoned Chen Fan, and now it's related to national security?
He had just been boasting to Jiang Tiansheng, and he couldn't accept the situation so easily. He blocked Xiang Jingshu and angrily demanded, "Let me see your identification. Who is your superior? You can't just arrest people like this. I'm going to file a complaint."
Xiang Jingshu pushed Tang Ruolin away and said, "Feel free to complain. I am Xiang Jingshu, from the General Bureau of the Special Security Department, Official Division. If you obstruct our law enforcement, you will also be taken away!"
A mere Young Master of the Tang family was beneath Xiang Jingshu's notice. She couldn't be bothered to show him her identification again.
General Bureau of the Special Security Department?
Tang Ruolin found it unbelievable and said, "Just because Meng Dandan poisoned Chen Fan?"
"Is that not enough?"
Xiang Jingshu retorted coldly, not bothering to explain further. "Take her away!"
"No, don't! Ruolin, save me! I don't want to go to jail!"
"Ruolin!"
Tang Ruolin felt a sense of unease.
That was the special department; why would they arrest Meng Dandan?
He might not fear Jiang Tiansheng much, but if the special department was involved, even if he were an idiot, he wouldn't dare to oppose them.
Meng Dandan's tearful pleas were ignored as she was directly pulled away by Xiang Jingshu's subordinates.
Xiang Jingshu merely nodded at Jiang Tiansheng, said no more, and left directly.
"How could this happen?" Tang Ruolin stammered in panic.
"Young Master Tang, I did warn you."
Jiang Tiansheng calmly sat down and said, "Don't worry, Meng Dandan will likely spend her life in prison and never get out.
"Now, it's time to settle our own business!"
"Our business?" Tang Ruolin's heart sank.
Regardless of what the reason was, with the special department's intervention and Meng Dandan's arrest, the situation had become uncontrollable.
"It should be about time!"
Jiang Tiansheng glanced at his watch and said.
As soon as he spoke, Tang Ruolin's phone rang.
He pulled it out, his expression changed, and he answered, "Dad!"
"Don't call me Dad. I don't have a son like you!"
An enraged roar came from the other end of the phone. "Tang Ruolin, you've become quite capable, haven't you? I told you to behave, and look at what you've done!"
"Dad, I..."
Receiving his father's call, Tang Ruolin had intended to ask for help, to have his family use their connections to inquire about Meng Dandan's situation. To his surprise, he was met with a torrent of abuse.
"What 'Dad, I'? I don't care if you're out having fun, but don't you have a brain? Mr. Long of Longteng Group is someone you can afford to offend?"
"Did you mistake your butt for your brain? Do you know that the assets of Tangshi Group have been halved in the last ten minutes? Many families cooperating with us are considering terminating their partnerships. If this continues, Tangshi Group will collapse within half a month!"
"I don't care what method you use, apologize and placate his anger. Otherwise, consider the Tang family as if you don't exist!"
With a click, the call ended.
Tang Ruolin was utterly bewildered.
"Young Master Tang, learn your lesson!"
Jiang Tiansheng stood up with a smile and said, "My background might not be clean, but your Tang family's background isn't necessarily spotless either!"
Tang Ruolin, as if waking from a dream, looked at Jiang Tiansheng and said in disbelief, "You... How could Shengshi possibly have such immense financial resources and influence?"
Jiang Tiansheng didn't bother to answer, walked towards the door, and said, "Go back to Modu. Hangjiang is not a place you should be!"
Tang Ruolin's forehead beaded with sweat, and he said, "Mr. Jiang, then our Tang family..."
"A valuable lesson learned!"
Jiang Tiansheng replied dismissively, "Your apology is worthless. Real money talks. This is the price your Tang family will pay for your actions!"
Tang Ruolin was speechless.
He knew he had hit a wall. Upon returning to Modu, he would likely be confined and punished.
But these were minor matters. The crucial point was that the sudden devaluation of the Tang family's assets would likely cripple them.
As for Meng Dandan, he had given up all hope.