Chapter 21: Drawing the Bow and Shooting the Swallow

  Now that the relationship between Fan Heng'an and Fang Mingtang is clear, many things have a reasonable explanation. Firstly, Zhou Yuanting, he had a tough attitude on the Qinghua Factory issue, and politically, he seemed very naive. It's necessary to know that political science is an extremely complex comprehensive subject, especially domestically, involving multiple fields such as politics, economy, psychology, society, humanities, philosophy, and worldly affairs. Zhou Yuanting, newly appointed, with Fang's system having suffered a severe loss, shouldn't have lightly made decisions on major issues like Qinghua Factory from any perspective. However, after Xu Fuyan clearly expressed his opposition, Zhou Yuanting still insisted on pushing forward the bankruptcy procedure of Qinghua Factory, putting himself in a difficult situation. This behavior is either due to him being kicked in the head by a donkey or having ulterior motives.

  Will Mayor Zhou's head be kicked by a donkey?

  Anyone with an IQ above 5 knows that's absolutely no problem! So Zhou Yuanting must have had other intentions in the Qinghua Factory affair.

  Secondly, Fan Heng'an had heavily invested in Fang Ming-tang, but ended up losing almost everything and was on the verge of collapse. At this critical juncture, he not only feared falling back to the bottom rung of society again, but also dreaded being casually discarded by Fang Ming-tang, or even becoming a sacrificial pawn in some political compromise. Therefore, no matter what, as long as there was a glimmer of possibility, Fan Heng'an would try every means to bind himself tightly with Fang Ming-tang and Zhou Yuan-ting.

  At this time, what can forcibly combine the three people together? One is sufficient interest, and two are common enemies.

  Now that he knew all this, after hearing Zuo Yu Xi reveal the relationship between Fan Heng An and Fang Ming Tang, combined with the political struggle between Zuo Jing and Fang Ming Tang, Wen Ze immediately understood the whole story. Fan Heng An suffered heavy losses under Zuo Jing's attack, and after Zhou Yuan Ting took over as mayor, he naturally had to compensate Fan Heng An according to Fang Ming Tang's wishes. Smart people always see things similarly, under the temptation of this big cake called state-owned enterprise reform, countless state-owned assets have been lost across the country, and a large factory like Qinghua Factory, which is capital-rich but struggling to move forward, is naturally their top choice.

  Having money is not a fool's errand! But is this money so easy to make?

  A faint smile floated onto her face as she said three words to Zuo Yu Xi: "Xu Fu Yan!"

  That's right, it's Xu Fuyan!

  Xu Fuyan was able to parachute into Qingzhou from the provincial capital during the bitter struggle between Zuo Jing and Fang Ming Tang, governing a region, with his connections in the province not needing to be mentioned. More subtle is that Zhou Yuanting and Fang Ming Tang regarded Qingzhou as a forbidden zone, showing great disrespect to this nominal leader, not only failing to support him in his work but also making things difficult for him in every way, without restraint, inevitably leading to Xu Fuyan's strong counterattack.

  The current situation is that Zuo Jing is struggling with being far away in Lingyang, having only a vague influence, but finding it difficult to exert full force; while Xu Fuyan is struggling with lacking a foundation in Qingzhou, without enough influence to control the situation. One has power but no authority, the other has authority but no power, theoretically there is absolutely a possibility of joining hands.

  But officialdom is complex and unpredictable, with two people belonging to different factions and having no previous dealings, trust must be greatly discounted. Moreover, the two do not know about each other's difficulties and determination, and it is inevitable that they will suspect each other when cooperating, and against enemies like Zhou Yuanting and Fang Mingtang, one misstep could lead to irreparable consequences.

  In this case, a very good opportunity is needed as a bond for communication and coordination between the two.

  The Qinghua factory is exactly where this opportunity lies, and it is also the best entry point for Wen Qiang to break through this deadlock. And Wen Qiang himself is this link!

  Zuo Yuxi was taken aback, and asked in response: "Xu Fuyan?" As she spoke, she shook her head. "The Hand-Appointed Secretary Xu Fuyan has long been a joke in the Qingzhou officialdom, and is fundamentally not worthy of being relied upon..."

  "Left sister, you're wrong!" Wen Cang's eyes shone with wisdom, not at all like the calm and composure that should be expected of someone his age. "Xu Fuyan was sent to Qingzhou by the provincial government with high hopes, intending to stabilize the turbulent situation caused by the Left Faction's infighting within a short period of time. Can such a person really be as simple as they seem? In my opinion, Xu Fuyan is adaptable and resilient, able to yield and advance, his title of 'Secretary' perfectly illustrating his profound mind and treacherous intentions. Once he gets an opportunity, he will surely reveal his true nature and make a shocking move. However, this matter isn't urgent, you can endure for the time being. Zhou Yuanting is too arrogant, I'm sure there will be changes soon..."

  Zuo Yuxi felt suffocated and under immense pressure, with no outlet to vent his emotions. He thought of sharing his troubles with Wen Qian, the only person who knew about it, but didn't expect much from this young man. However, after mentioning just a few words, Wen Qian quickly grasped the core of the problem, clarifying his thoughts and accurately gauging people's hearts, leaving Zuo Yuxi astonished and even shocked. As he quietly gazed at Wen Qian's profile, listening to him recount the entire story, he suddenly recalled various events from their first meeting to the present day, and his mind was filled with turmoil, unsure of what to make of it. The thoughts swirling in his head were two lines of poetry: "Understanding worldly affairs is all about learning; grasping human emotions is the essence of literature."

  I still underestimated, Wen Cheng is not just a little different? It's already beyond the limit that can be reached at this age. Zuo Yuxi nodded, her tightly furrowed eyebrows indicating she hadn't listened to Wen Cheng's words. This can be understood, Wen Cheng didn't want to say anything more, comforted her for a few sentences and was about to leave.

  Zuo Yu Xi suddenly remembered something and grabbed Wen Chen, her slender and soft palm touching Wen Chen's skin, causing a tingling sensation like an electric shock.

  "Let's not mention that for now, I've been really busy lately and I even forgot to ask you, how is your new class teacher?"

  "Not bad, a pretty good person."

  Yu Xi's face showed a gentle expression, staring at Wen He and saying softly: "Wen He, if there is a chance, help me take good care of her. If someone gives her a hard time in school, be sure to come tell me."

  Wen Qian didn't speak, quietly waiting for her reason, but Zuo Yu Xi turned his head away without a word. For that instant, this beautiful woman who was sometimes gentle and playful, sometimes bold and decisive, seemed as fragile as a delicate Qinghua porcelain vase, which would shatter into pieces with just a slight touch.

  Wen Han nodded slightly, sat back in the car with his hands clasped together, and wrapped Xiao Yu's small hand in his palm. He said softly, "Don't worry, I'll pay attention. However, Xiao Jie, you must not do anything rashly. One month, at most one month, I will definitely let you see a turning point in things. Believe me, okay?"

  Wen Cen knew that she was close to a man named Lao Jiu on the road, and might do something stupid impulsively. Although it's unlikely according to common sense, Wen Cen had to be prepared, as Zuo Yuxi's personality was unpredictable, and if he really felt that the official path was not feasible, taking another route was also possible. Since his rebirth, his understanding of the Qingzhou officialdom had only deepened slightly, but it was enough to make him feel shocked, as everyone did things without any scruples, truly reckless and unscrupulous, and brutally muddled.

  Wen Cheng said, "Let's wait for a month," while drawing an "=" symbol on Zuo Yu Xi's palm. Thinking of the numerous times they had used this secret signal since meeting, even Zuo Yu Xi, who was preoccupied with thoughts, couldn't help but chuckle and give him a sideways glance, curling up her index finger to respond with an "OK" in his palm.

  Wen Xiang let out a sigh of relief and got off the car to bid farewell.

  Fang Ming Tang has been operating in Qingzhou for ten years, and his roots have long since taken deep root in the flesh and blood of Qingzhou. Xu Fuyan's attitude is unclear, and his strength is also deeply hidden. Even if he joins forces with him, it is uncertain whether he can turn the tide of Qingzhou. Zuo Yuxi gazed at the receding figure of Wen Can disappearing into the gate of No. 7 courtyard, sat for a long time, and finally let out a long sigh before turning to leave.

  The chances of winning this battle are extremely low, but this feud cannot be left unavenged.

  Fight to the end!