Director Zhou received a call from Feng Dehui, deputy secretary of the Municipal Political and Legal Affairs Commission, the next morning.
Deputy Secretary Feng was exceedingly polite. He said he had long admired Director Zhou's reputation, and that he and several friends from other law enforcement and judicial agencies all hoped to make his acquaintance. He asked whether Director Zhou would do them the honor of joining them that evening at the Shunxing Grand Restaurant.
Director Zhou did not decline. After all, it was only dinner and drinks, and with the other man being so deferential, there was no need to make himself seem unfriendly.
Well, Shao Mingbao and the others were conducting their operation in secret. As their director, he would set an example first by going one-on-one with Zhang Hao and seeing for himself just what sort of character this so-called "Zhang of Changning" really was!
That evening, at the Shunxing Grand Restaurant.
Gathered in the private room were Feng Dehui, deputy secretary of the Municipal Political and Legal Affairs Commission; He Yinghui, deputy procurator-general of the Municipal Procuratorate; Tian Libo, director of the Municipal Justice Bureau; Gong Zheng, chief judge of the Criminal Division of the Municipal Intermediate People's Court; and Zhou Yi, director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, who arrived last.
Well, the police, prosecutors, and courts were all represented. Most of those present headed key departments with power over people's lives and fates. If they worked together, they could provide the complete package: arrest, prosecution, sentencing, and imprisonment.
"Director Zhou, I've heard so much about you..."
Feng Dehui and the others warmly shook Director Zhou's hand and exchanged pleasantries before everyone took their seats. Before long, twice-cooked pork, sliced beef and offal in chili sauce, spicy chicken, boiled pork slices in chili broth, and