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Wind Rises in Dragon City Chapter 20
🕑 Added 2024-10-30 14:55:05 +0000 UTCChapter 20: Gathering at Fuman Tower
Around 5 PM in the evening.
Su Tianyu, Su Tianbei, Bai Hongbo, Kong Zhenghui, and Old Liu went together to Longkou District, where they hosted Yu Jinrong at a very high-end restaurant.
In fact, during the dinner conversation, Yu Jinrong didn't say much to everyone, because he stayed in the private room for less than twenty minutes in total. He only got to know the younger generation of the four companies briefly before finding an excuse to leave first.
However, although this dinner seemed very rushed and without any substantial talks, for the Su, Liu, Bai, and Kong families, it was a turning point in a desperate situation. The fact that Yu Jinrong showed up was already conveying an important message to them - that he would definitely support these four families on the Management Council's side, as long as it didn't affect himself.
This was a power game within the Sanitation Management Council. If the four companies hadn't made a big fuss, Yu Jinrong would definitely not have shown up today. But after Wang Daolin was shot, and with the continued fermentation of the strike, serious injury of workers, and vandalism of the Su family's garbage yard, Changqing Company was already struggling to cope. This allowed the powerful figures within the Management Council who were dissatisfied with them to also join in beating the drowning dog.
Therefore, the arrival of any turning point was the result of the four families banding together to resist, not any luck or coincidence.
Su Tianyu spoke less than three sentences during the meal, but he had been observing Yu Jinrong the whole time. He noticed that this person appeared refined on the outside, but acted decisively. His few words seemed very ordinary, yet subtly conveyed his attitude to everyone. He should be a very deep old hand in the system.
......
In Zha'nan District, inside Changqing Company, Li Hongze sat in the boss's chair, holding the phone with a gloomy face, frowning as he asked: "Just tell me directly, what do you mean?"
"I found Deputy Director Guo, he found Wang Daolin, but they couldn't reach an agreement," Li Xing said frankly. "The current situation is, if you don't take a step back, Wang Daolin will attack, thoroughly investigating the vandalism and arson case, the serious injury of workers case, and the shooting case at the Cantonese restaurant. Lu Feng's thugs have already been detained. I'm powerless now, do you understand my meaning?"
Li Hongze fell silent.
"If Wang Daolin doesn't let this go, things will only get bigger and bigger. In the end, when public opinion rises, our Changqing Company will be labeled as a violent monopoly no matter what, because you've already been pushed into the open," Li Xing continued. "...So my suggestion is to loosen up first, let this matter pass."
Li Hongze was very troubled and didn't respond.
"What do you think?" Li Xing pressed.
"Does Deputy Director Guo mean to negotiate under the table?" Li Hongze asked.
"That's right."
"Alright, I understand," Li Hongze hung up the phone directly and lit a cigarette in frustration.
Actually, just twenty minutes ago, Zheng Fu'an from the Management Council had also called Li Hongze, his tone full of complaints.
As soon as the Management Council's regular meeting started this morning, Yu Jinrong had blasted Changqing Company, claiming they were monopolizing the industry, destabilizing the sanitation system, and even causing a lot of negative public opinion. This series of accusations and criticisms were actually aimed at Zheng Fu'an, because he was the leader supporting Changqing Company.
This passive situation made Zheng Fu'an, who had just taken office, very uncomfortable. Yu Jinrong's attack was also well-founded, because Changqing Company's thugs had all been arrested, with solid evidence of violent monopolization. So even though Zheng Fu'an had close relatives present, it was difficult to refute at the meeting.
As a result, Zheng Fu'an could only transfer the pressure to Li Hongze, asking him to quickly deal with the aftermath and quell the incident.
Li Hongze smoked, thinking about the direction of public opinion. He knew that Kong Zhenghui had been looking for media recently, and the reason they hadn't taken action yet was probably to leave room for negotiations. Otherwise, the worker injury incident and the arson case should have already been stirred up into a public opinion effect.
Li Hongze sat on the sofa, carefully considering for a while before picking up the phone and dialing Su Tiannan's number directly.
"Hello?"
"Little Su, let's sit down and talk."
"Alright."
"Ten o'clock tonight, Fuman Tower, I'll wait for your four families to come," Li Hongze said before hanging up the phone.
......
Around 7 PM in the evening.
Su Tianyu, Kong Zhenghui, Su Tianbei, Bai Hongbo, Old Liu, and the core members of each family all gathered at the People's Hospital, discussing with Su Tiannan in the ward.
Beside the hospital bed, Su Tianyu sat in a chair, frowning as he said to Tiannan: "Call Director Wang and ask his opinion first, then state your own demands."
"What demands?" Su Tiannan asked in return.
"Not just people, we need money too," Su Tianyu replied.
"Isn't that going too far?" Su Tiannan asked steadily.
"After things have come to this, can you still be friends with Changqing Company?" Su Tianyu said very calmly. "You've already offended them, so what are you afraid of?"
Su Tiannan nodded: "I'll go with you guys later."
"You don't need to go. Li Hongze set the place, what's the use of you going?" Su Tianyu said softly. "We'll go, that's enough."
"I'm afraid Lu Feng might do something desperate, after all, you..."
"Big Brother, don't worry about me," Su Tianyu replied with a smile. "My family was ruined, I wandered outside for four years without fear, what am I afraid of from this so-called Zha'nan First Blade? Hehe!"
"I...!"
"It's fine, you should call Wang Daolin first," Su Tianyu urged.
Su Tiannan slowly nodded and dialed Wang Daolin's number with his phone: "Uncle, Li Hongze has invited me."
"Then go, negotiate however you need to," Wang Daolin replied.
"Besides people, I also want money," Su Tiannan said directly.
"Is that necessary? If you take money, it won't be easy for you to walk away," Wang Daolin reminded.
"Even if I don't take money, I've already offended him."
"...Handle this yourself then. During the negotiations, neither Li Xing nor I will interfere," Wang Daolin said frankly. "We'll talk after you're done."
"Alright, I understand your meaning."
"That's it then."
They ended the call, and Su Tiannan turned to look at Tianyu, saying: "Be very careful tonight."
"It's fine, hehe!" Su Tianyu grinned.
......
At 9:30 PM, inside the Fuman Tower restaurant on Changfeng Street in Zha'nan District, at least thirty burly men from Changqing Company were seated.
On both sides of the restaurant street, more than a dozen officers each from Wang Daolin and Li Xing's subordinates had also arrived.
Meanwhile, Zheng Fu'an sat in the Management Council office, not yet off work, just smoking and waiting for a phone call.
In a villa in Longkou District, Yu Jinrong watched the news with his legs crossed, saying: "Have someone listen in and see how the negotiations go at Fuman Tower."
"Alright," the middle-aged man beside him nodded.
Around 9:40 PM, seven or eight cars drove over from the south side of the road. The Police Bureau officers reached out to stop the convoy.
Su Tianyu lowered the car window, smiling as he said: "What instructions, officer?"
"Negotiate all you want, but don't cause trouble, or we'll deal with you," the Police Bureau person said with a gloomy face.
"Yes, sir!" Su Tianyu saluted with a smile.
The convoy continued forward, stopping at the entrance of Fuman Tower. Su Tianyu, Su Tianbei, Kong Zhenghui, Old Liu, and Bai Hongbo, along with eleven others, stepped into the restaurant lobby together.
Outside, a cold wind blew gently, and the sky was overcast with dark clouds, seemingly destined to be an extraordinary night.
