Chapter 31

Fang Zhixin coughed dryly twice, awkwardly finding himself at a loss for words.

People from the military had always been better with their hands than their mouths. Besides, the Li Family had been in the wrong from the start. Facing the injured party, they could hardly say anything in the Li Family's defense.

Moreover, military people, who were usually straightforward and rather simple-minded, looked down on the Li Family for abandoning someone after starting a relationship, twisting right and wrong, and then trying to scheme against the mother and family of the illegitimate son. It simply had nothing to do with them, so they had kept their mouths shut.

This showed that the two military representatives who had come this time were truly honest men. Honest men were good. Zhang Muyang was more than happy to deal with honest men.

Looking at Jiang Peize and the other man sitting there in embarrassed silence, Zhang Muyang shook his head and smiled. "One matter is one matter. Li Cunzhou wronged my aunt back then because his own character was rotten. But we still have great trust in Yanjing. We're also rather embarrassed that something like this happened. After all, it was our idea to auction off the construction team slots in Yanjing, and we won't pretend not to understand what that represented. Now that such a mistake has occurred and even claimed lives, in a sense, we failed as hosts to take proper care of our honored guests. We have already kept the bodies of the seven soldiers safe. It's only because the situation has been escalating that we did not dare act rashly. Now that you're here, I can rest easy. When would be convenient for both sides? We'll hand them over to you."

Hearing Zhang Muyang say this, Jiang Peize and Fang Zhixin finally relaxed somewhat. Before they came, the Military Commission had specifically instructed them that their foremost priority was to retrieve the soldiers' bodies. They absolutely could not leave them in the Zhang Family's hands and give others something to talk about. Now that Zhang Muyang had taken the initiative to hand them over, they felt that at least half of their difficult mission had been completed.

"Only..." Zhang Xianyang frowned and let out a deliberately regretful sigh. "I truly feel indignant for those soldier brothers. Their parents worked hard to raise them, and the country worked hard to train them, hoping they could bring glory to the nation and defend the country. Yet now they died in our family's secret passage. If word gets out, I'm afraid they won't even be able to earn the title of martyrs."

Jiang Peize and Fang Zhixin's hearts skipped a beat. They knew the real matter had arrived. From the military's standpoint, they would never allow reports that special forces soldiers had died in the Zhang Family Secret Passage to become reality. Seeing Zhang Muyang's attitude earlier, they had thought the matter could be easily settled. But now that Zhang Muyang had deliberately brought this up, they realized he had merely been courteous before turning forceful. He would be polite first, but if they failed to appreciate it...

Fang Zhixin gave a bitter smile. He knew about the conflict between the Old District Zhang Family and the Li Family and had originally not wanted to get involved. But now he could only speak frankly. "We were sent by the military to the Old District precisely to investigate this matter. Please rest assured, Mr. Zhang. In the end, someone will have to step forward and take responsibility. We also deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused to the Old Zhang Family. At the same time, we have brought the military's utmost sincerity. Please believe that, as soldiers who defend the country and its people, as the nation's first and final line of defense, everything we do is for social stability and unity. We do not wish for anyone or anything to affect the normal development of the region or ethnic unity."

Putting aside the official rhetoric, Fang Zhixin meant: Don't worry. We will deal with those who caused trouble for your Zhang Family, but the country's stability and unity cannot be damaged. As the nation's first and final line of defense, the military's reputation cannot be harmed either.

Zhang Muyang nodded in satisfaction. Soldiers who had devoted their youth and lives to the country and its people deserved respect and love, whether in wartime or peacetime. In a sense, the Old Zhang Family that remained to this day could also be considered descendants of the militia from back then. Therefore, Zhang Muyang did not wish to make things too difficult for such admirable people. As for the Li Family, which had likewise risen through military achievements—

Zhang Muyang curled his lip. There was an old saying: one bad fish spoiled the whole pot of soup. He would not hate the entire pot because of one rotten fish, but he clearly would not abandon the idea of dealing with that rotten fish just because of the pot. If they could now reach an agreement with the pot, with everyone working together to cook up and swallow Li Cunzhou, that would naturally be for the best.

As for the Li Family behind Li Cunzhou... Zhang Muyang casually glanced at Zhang Xianyang, who sat quietly beside him, tenderness and resolve flashing through his eyes.

He would not let anyone bully their Yangyang, whom the Old Zhang Family had cherished in the palm of their hands since childhood. Even if the other side came from an extraordinary family with deep roots, Zhang Muyang would not be afraid.

If they wanted a fight, then let them fight.

The conversation ultimately came to an end with both host and guests satisfied. For various reasons, Zhang Muyang could not entertain the two special commissioners from Yanjing as warmly as a host should. He could not even send someone to escort the two military representatives directly to the city hospital. Jiang Peize and Fang Zhixin thoroughly understood the importance of avoiding suspicion at this moment and naturally did not mind. Under the watchful eyes of the Zhang brothers, they hailed a taxi and headed to the city hospital themselves.

Zhang Xiyang, who had not uttered a word from beginning to end, watched the taxi drive away and said, "It would be nice if that driver were one of ours."

Zhang Muyang's heart stirred, and he smiled. "There are more and more outsiders in the Old District now, and the brothers we have watching people are getting overwhelmed. Yangyang's plan for all-around network control cannot be exposed, so it would be best not to draw attention. To conceal ourselves, we really do need to cultivate several more groups of informants. What do you think about setting up a taxi fleet?"

Zhang Xiyang turned to look at Zhang Muyang and grinned. "Perfect. Since the family businesses have been cleaned up, a lot of our brothers who used to guard venues have become idle. Picking a few clever, sensible ones and training them as taxi drivers would be a good choice. Once the taxi fleet connects with the inns and restaurants in the Old District, getting information will become much more convenient."

Zhang Xianyang also chimed in, "I've heard that hotels and taxi fleets in the city work together as well. As long as the taxi fleet brings out-of-town travelers to their hotels, they can get a commission. We can also use that opportunity to send some people to stay at our hotels. It will be much easier to keep an eye on them."

After pondering for a moment, Zhang Muyang praised, "Yangyang is getting smarter and smarter."

Zhang Xianyang curled his lip, clearly dissatisfied with his older brother treating him like a child. After thinking it over, however, he still suggested, "I did not kill Boyi, yet Boyi died because of me. The Li Family members certainly deserve to die, but those special forces soldiers died far too unjustly. There isn't much else we can do, but could we give their families some compensation?"

Zhang Muyang immediately agreed. "That was what I was thinking too. I already had A-Qiang withdraw twenty million from the accounts and quietly deliver it to those soldiers' families. Every year from now on, I'll remember to send them money."

After a pause, he sighed helplessly. "This is all we can do."

The reason it had to be done quietly, without publicizing it, was partly to prevent public opinion from using it to stir up trouble, and partly... because they feared being beaten out by the families. Whether those soldiers had been willing or unwilling, whether they had done it for survival or some other reason, the fact remained that seven living people had died in the Zhang Family Secret Passage. This was certainly the Li Family's fault, but it was also the Zhang Family's sin.

Zhang Xianyang thought about it and still felt it was inappropriate. "It should come from my garment factory's accounts instead. If it goes through the gang's books, it will still be troublesome if someone notices."

Zhang Muyang nodded and put an arm around Zhang Xianyang's shoulders. "Yangyang has grown up. You're becoming more and more thorough in considering things."

Meanwhile, Jiang Peize and Fang Zhixin, who were taking a taxi to the city hospital, successfully found Li Cunzhou and his family. In this operation, a total of ten special forces soldiers had been lost, while the three Li Family members at the center of it all were practically unscathed. This cruel reality made Jiang Peize and Fang Zhixin unable to stop themselves from thinking, Disasters really do live for a thousand years.

When Li Cunzhou saw the military special commissioners from Yanjing, he felt immensely guilty as well. Because of his own selfish desires, he had caused losses to the country and the military, even creating such a huge impact. Li Cunzhou had never expected consequences this severe. Though his character was poor and he had always believed in the inevitability and legitimacy of privilege, Li Cunzhou, who had been influenced by his elders since childhood and had spent more than a decade struggling in circles of power, was not naïve enough to think his family could shield him from any mistake or make the country pay the price. Being in this circle, he understood better than anyone the cruelty and fragility of the so-called privileged class. A seemingly insignificant matter could lead to frenzied suppression and carefully planned revenge from hostile forces. Not to mention that Li Cunzhou's mistake was anything but small. That was the cruelty of politics. Thus, before the military personnel arrived, Li Cunzhou had already prepared himself to bear some consequences.

But preparation was one thing. When he saw the travel-worn Jiang Peize and Fang Zhixin, Li Cunzhou still involuntarily thought of the seven special forces soldiers lost in the Zhang Family Secret Passage. The country had spent enormous effort training them, yet they had not died on a battlefield. Instead, because of his greed and desire, they would sleep forever in the Old District, on China's own soil.

Their deaths could not even be spoken aloud. Their deaths were simply too disgraceful, because they had died in the people's own backyard. Whenever Li Cunzhou thought of this, he felt incomparably miserable. He felt that he was truly unlucky. The Zhang Family really were jinxes. Ever since he encountered them, he had not managed to accomplish a single thing smoothly. Now even his future had been dragged down with him, and he did not even know whether he would have another chance to rise again.

He was only in his forties, at the prime of his life. He did not want to become dejected and withdraw from the political stage like this.

As the newly appointed mayor of the Old District, as well as the Li Family's nominal ally and partner, Gu Zhaohuan had also chosen this day to visit Li Jiangnan, who had been hospitalized to recuperate after being bitten by a venomous snake. Seeing Jiang Peize and Fang Zhixin from Yanjing, Gu Zhaohuan, who had been smiling gently as he comforted Li Jiangnan out of the familiarity of having grown up in the same circle, withdrew his smile. He sighed heavily, shook his head, and said, "I bear some blame for this too. I failed to fulfill my responsibility as mayor. I should have kept a better watch over them."

Whether by reason or emotion, Gu Zhaohuan would never reveal the private deal between himself and the Li Family. Being willing to say this much was already quite loyal of him. After all, if they were seriously assigning blame, Gu Zhaohuan was merely a local leader and had no authority to inquire into the duties or missions of the special operations unit. The only reason he said those words was because he stood there as a friend and brother.

Jiang Peize and Fang Zhixin naturally interpreted Gu Zhaohuan's words as meaning that he had failed to explain the Old District's specific circumstances to Li Cunzhou. Because of that severe intelligence failure, Li Cunzhou had made such a grave mistake and even affected his future career.

Li Jiangnan, who had been lying silently in bed with a gloomy expression, sat up and slowly said, "I was the one who brought them here from Yanjing, but I failed to bring them back. It is my fault. Please hold me accountable."

Everyone turned to look at Li Jiangnan, who seemed lost and lifeless, and sighed as one. Of everyone present, Li Jiangnan had undoubtedly suffered the greatest blow. The ten special forces soldiers who had died or been injured were all from Li Jiangnan's unit. He had falsified his age to enlist at fifteen, entered the special forces at sixteen, and had spent more than a year with his comrades. Li Jiangnan simply could not accept that his family's mistake had led to his brothers' deaths. This had not even been an officially registered military mission. Most of those people had come to the Old District during their leave to help Li Jiangnan. Yet this was how it had ended.

Li Jiangnan's eyes were bloodshot. Tears welled in them, but he stubbornly refused to let them fall. He took two deep breaths to ensure that his voice would not tremble because he wanted to cry, then said softly, "If possible, please send me to a military court!"

Author's note: Thank you, Demeter, for the landmine. ╭(╯3╰)╮

Wing☆Forgotten Land also threw a landmine. ╭(╯3╰)╮

Since I, Ba, have had no drafts and have been writing everything live, everyone can choose: 1. Updates at 11:00 a.m. 2. Updates at 7:00 p.m.