Chapter 27: Can Human Schemes Exhaust the Designs of Heaven?

  County Party Secretary Xiao Ri, County Mayor Cheng Jianjun, and County Procuratorate Procurator Pan Wanlong suddenly received an anonymous letter of accusation at the same time. The letter accused Hai Qingbin, general manager of the county's first construction company, of bribing government officials while contracting for projects, cutting corners and reducing materials during construction, and evading taxes in the company's management. It also specifically pointed out that there was evidence of financial transactions between Hai Qingbin and County Bureau Director Ma Penghua in Hai's safe deposit box. The anonymous letter was written with great detail and even listed some project funds that Hai had contracted for, making it clear that it was written by someone from within the first construction company. Due to Hai's prominence in the county, the county leadership could not ignore the accusation and convened a special meeting to discuss the matter.

  However, since it was an anonymous letter, although the meeting decided to launch a preliminary investigation, Cheng Jianjun still talked to Ma Penghua after the meeting about the anonymous letter. The investigation team assigned by the procuratorate will conduct a preliminary investigation, but don't have any preconceived notions, the organization still trusts him.

  In just a few days, the investigation team had initially grasped some evidence and launched a search of the construction company's office. However, no materials related to Ma Penghua were found in the safe deposit box. Instead, many secret account books belonging to Hai Qingbin were discovered. After verification, it was confirmed that the First Construction Company did have serious tax evasion problems and was involved in organized crime. As a result, the investigation team changed from preliminary investigation to formal establishment of a special case group, with Ma Penghua, who had been proven innocent, becoming the first person in charge of the special case group.

  As night fell, in the spacious living room of Ma's house, a brazier was burning on the floor tiles. Ma Penghua sat on the sofa, staring at the flames burning in the brazier and let out a deep sigh. His face looked somewhat ferocious in the flickering light of the flames.

  He didn't think that Lao Hai wouldn't leave any evidence to protect himself, and he would have done the same thing. However, he didn't expect that such a hidden matter would be reported by someone. Fortunately, there were his trusted people in the investigation team, who secretly intercepted the evidence for him. In fact, when the investigation team was established, he had thought of notifying Hai Qingbin to transfer the files, but after careful consideration, it seemed that Hai Qingbin had been betrayed by some trusted person. He could notify him once or twice, but there was no guarantee that Hai Qingbin wouldn't get caught off guard and destroy the evidence, which was still in his hands. After weighing the pros and cons, Ma Penghua did not inform Lao Hai, but instead instructed his trusted people to remove all materials related to himself from the file box. In this regard, he still had no problem with his manipulation skills within the public security organs.

  Watching the flames in the fire pit gradually extinguish, Ma Penghua let out a long sigh of relief, finally clearing himself. Lao Hai thought he was just a thread on which ants crawled, and he didn't want to be in the same boat as him. After all, Lao Hai had too many things going on, knew too many people, and often walked by the river - how could he not get his shoes wet? Who knows when something would happen and drag him down with it? He couldn't always be putting out fires for him, after all.

  Now it's all good, I don't have to be controlled by him anymore. Leaning on the sofa, Ma Penghua began to think about whether or not to protect Lao Hai. Now that those pieces of evidence are gone, he can either attack or defend, and whether or not to protect Lao Hai doesn't make a difference to him. Thinking about it now, he can't help but admire himself for making such a great move, putting himself in a desperate situation and then turning it around.

  After some consideration, if I want to save Lao Hai, there are too many aspects involved, and I might be gossiped about behind my back. Moreover, Chen Dahe from the special investigation team is very close to Tang Yi from Chenjiatang, and he might discover something mysterious. After all, my name is on the anonymous letter. It seems that if I want to thoroughly extricate myself from this whirlpool, I can only fight Lao Hai to the death.

  Ma Penghua's eyes gradually turned cold and stern, Old Hai, you can't blame me for being ruthless, who told you to not even manage your own people properly? Speaking of which, I, Old Ma, should thank the person who wrote the anonymous letter, they helped me clear my relationship with you.

  ……

  Under the leadership of Ma Ju, the task force was swift and decisive. In just a few days, they had basically verified the facts of Lao Hai's tax evasion and embezzlement, and also uncovered some unit leaders who had been bribed by Lao Hai during his contract work. Due to the high efficiency of the task force, Ma Penghua was commended by the county party committee.

  In a small restaurant in the county town of Yan Shan, Chen Da and others were wrapped in thick scarves, looking left and right like secret agents at the door. Through the glass window, Tang Yi couldn't help but laugh and cry.

  Waiting for him to come in and sit down, Tang Yi smiled bitterly: "Old Chen, what are you doing? We're just special agents making contact. I told you to be careful not to let others discover your connection with me, but you really thought we were couriers under white terror?"

  Chen Da untied the scarf and exclaimed loudly, "You should have said so earlier! I'm burning up in this heat! I thought you...". He lowered his voice, "I thought you and Ma Ju were going to fight to the death, see blood. Why else would you look for me so urgently?"

  He tossed the scarf onto the table and said, "No big deal, didn't the ancients say it? Victory and defeat are common occurrences in battle. This time I didn't take him down, but there will be plenty of opportunities next time." Ever since Tang Yi told Chen Da that the anonymous letter was written by someone he hired, Chen Da thought for a moment before once again siding with Tang Yi. If he could share such confidential matters with himself, what else was there to say? Since he wanted to fight against Ma Ju, then he would help him. At most, it would be like last time and they would be beaten back to their original form. Didn't he have this mindset when dealing with Li Wen's case?

  However, Chen Da and others were somewhat impressed by Ma Penghua, this old fox. Under his own nose, those materials related to him were not searched for, but were taken advantage of by this old fox, who received a reward from the county government. He thought that Tang Yi must be very disappointed and frustrated now, so he rushed over to accompany this little brother to drink and relieve his worries as soon as he received the phone call. His pretending to wear a scarf was also intentionally teasing Tang Yi to cheer him up.

  Tang Yi smiled and said: "You're right, victory and defeat are common in the military. I just hope that this time Old Ma will be defeated so thoroughly that he won't be able to turn things around again."

  Chen Da and Leng were taken aback for a moment. Tang Yi Pin sipped his tea and asked: "What has Old Hai been saying these past few days?"

  "You didn't say anything, aren't you letting me stare at him? He's been clamoring to see the old fox, but the old fox is dead set against seeing him. This old thing must be afraid of being heard by me. These past few days, Old Hai hasn't spoken up either, he's become a mute!" Chen Da and Heng both snorted in disgust.

  Tang Yi smiled lightly: "Looks like it's time!" He leaned his face close to him and whispered, "I'll give you a chance to make a meritorious deed, how you operate is up to you. Old Hai has another killer move, the old fox won't listen, but I think you should listen. You do this and that..."

  Chen Da's face began to look puzzled, then cleared up, and he nodded repeatedly, finally bursting into laughter and patted Tang Yi on the shoulder: "You're really something, I, Old Chen, can't help but admire you!"

  ……

  Lao Hai is nearly fifty years old, with small eyes squeezed into a slit by the fat on his face, which shines with oil, and a round body clad in a deep blue suit, with thick gold cufflinks on his hands, the typical image of a nouveau riche.

  The detention room on the third floor of the county bureau is not bad, specifically for detaining suspects of economic crimes. It's a single room with a bed and chair, but it rarely gets sunlight and feels damp inside.

  Lao Hai sat in the chair, thinking about what had happened these days. It seemed that Ma Penghua, that old fox, not only gave up on himself but also wanted to knock him out at once. Hmph, bring it on, let's see who will regret it in the end!

  With a determined heart, yet with some sadness, it seems that one's future fate has already been sealed, and no matter how hard one struggles, nothing can be changed.

  After the footsteps, the door of the detention room was opened and a tall and burly policeman walked in, holding a lunch box. Lao Hai recognized him as Chen Dui Zhang from the criminal investigation team, who had been lingering around the detention room for days, probably to keep an eye on himself and prevent him from speaking out of turn.

  "Captain Chen, how can you trouble yourself with such a trivial matter as delivering food? It's really not worth the bother!" Old Hai said sarcastically, sitting upright.

  Chen Da and Xiao Hehe put the lunch box on the table, without being polite, and sat down at the bedside. If it weren't for the opportunity to deliver food, except for interrogation, the task force personnel were not allowed to have individual contact with Lao Hai.

  "Director Hai, you're also a well-known figure in our county. How could you just give up like that? I think this time, if you don't get sentenced to 10 or 8 years, the gods will be burning incense for you."

  Lao Hai snorted twice in his nose and said disdainfully: "It's better than being a servant to others, say it, what does the surname Ma want to tell me?"

  Chen Da was taken aback for a moment before he realized that he had been mistaken for the old fox. This was quite troublesome, as no matter what he said, the other person wouldn't believe him? And how could he possibly hand over the evidence to himself?

  After some deliberation, explaining that he wasn't an old fox would only make him more suspicious. So, following Tang Yi's words, he said: "Director Ma doesn't have much to say to you, but I do have some thoughts. Manager Hai, when you were outside, weren't you invincible and awe-inspiring? Even the mountains would tremble at your feet! Who in Yangshan City didn't know Manager Hai? But in Director Ma's eyes, what do you think you are?"

  Lao Hai sneered and didn't speak, Chen Da and Xiao Xiao laughed: "Perhaps you think that in his heart, you are the God of Wealth, right? A high status, can be called brothers with him, intimate and inseparable. But actually? You, Manager Hai, in people's hearts, are just a chamber pot!"

  "Think about it yourself, when Ma's office is short of money, it's like holding back urine, the first thing that comes to mind is you. But once they've relieved themselves, the first one to kick you out is also them. Now, why are they targeting you? It's because in the future, Ma's office won't need those two coins from you anymore, just like how people don't pee anymore after they're done. What's the point of keeping a urine pot then? Of course, they'll kick you far away with one foot, so you won't leave any stench on Ma's office!"

  The old sea still had a cold smile on his face, saying: "Then you are also a chamber pot, the lowest kind of chamber pot." The counter-ridicule showed that Chen Da's words had struck a chord in his heart.

  Chen Da and Xiao Xiao looked at their watches, saying: "If we continue talking, people will start to suspect us. The day after tomorrow, County Mayor Cheng will come to listen to the special case group's report on the situation, and he will also meet with you. After all, you are a famous person, do you want me to help you with something?"

  Old Hai looked at Chen Dahai with a strange expression, shaking his head slightly. Chen Dahai smiled and walked out. Originally, according to Tang Yi's plan, Chen Dahai was supposed to gain Old Hai's trust and help him retrieve the evidence before reporting back to the county. However, Old Hai made it clear that he didn't trust Chen Dahai. Luckily, Chen Dahai quickly came up with a plan and remembered that Cheng Jianjun would be coming to the special case group in two days. He decided to hint at the matter and let Cheng Jianjun handle it himself. But this meant that Chen Dahai wouldn't get any credit for it. Moreover, Chen Dahai wasn't sure if Old Hai would reveal Ma Penghua's secrets in two days. When he called Tang Yi, feeling frustrated, Tang Yi laughed and said, "Seven parts human effort, three parts heavenly fate. We've done our part, now it's up to fate. Don't force it." Seeing Secretary Tang's calm and composed demeanor, Chen Dahai felt both admiration and shame.