Chapter 2374: Financing (Part 9)

Zhang Yunmi had her own sedan chair. Truthfully, she didn't care much for such pomp—sitting in it was uncomfortable. One could basically only sit rigidly upright. After all, the chair in this official sedan was a square, formal official's hat chair: hard, cold, without a hint of "ergonomic" design. Far inferior to a service carriage.

However, in Guangzhou city, carriages were too constrained by road conditions, so the Senators had no choice but to compromise and use sedans as their primary transportation. Zhang Yunmi rode in a four-bearer sedan that had originally belonged to some unknown official.

She was just about to climb in when Zhang Xiaoqi waved at her.

"Little sister, come ride with your elder sister!"

Truthfully, Zhang Yunmi didn't particularly appreciate Zhang Xiaoqi's enthusiasm. She knew she was isolated and without allies in the Senate, and the "goodwill" of some Senators harbored ulterior motives. Thus she remained vigilant everywhere. However, she did trust Wang Qiyi and Zhang Xiaoqi, this model couple among Senators, relatively well—though part of this trust also stemmed from her relationship with Wang Muqing.

Zhang Yunmi knew that character didn't equal work ability, but she had witnessed Wang and Zhang's competence and interpersonal skills firsthand—why was the difference between people so great? Involuntarily, she thought of her father again.

This couple had no issues with their character and were rising "stars" in the Senate. Since they expressed friendliness and goodwill toward her, she naturally wouldn't refuse.

Zhang Xiaoqi's sedan was an eight-bearer grand sedan formerly used by the Guangdong Provincial Administration Commissioner. The interior was quite spacious—two people sitting together didn't feel crowded. Sometimes when going to inspect work or attend meetings together, the husband and wife would share the same sedan.

Wang Qiyi's backside had barely settled when he spotted the scene and swiftly climbed out to switch to Zhang Yunmi's sedan—no doubt, his wife had private words to say to Zhang Yunmi again.

His wife was perfect in everything; she just couldn't stand seeing young women suffer losses. It had been the same with Nan Wan'er, and it was the same with Zhang Yunmi.

With a shout of "Depart!" from the municipal government guard secretary, the procession of sedan chairs slowly set off. Their destination was the second spot they had discussed for snap inspection: the Police Bureau. The first inspection point had been, of course, the Municipal Government itself, enjoying the treatment of personal Senator inspection throughout—due to lack of spare manpower. Now they were heading to the Police Bureau to conduct a snap inspection and, along the way, pick up personnel for subsequent targets.

The sedan bounced rhythmically. Zhang Yunmi silently reviewed the day's meeting: originally focused on fiscal and taxation issues, but halfway through, a Senator Chu had barged in, and then the flavor of the meeting had changed entirely.

Liu, Wang, Zhang, Ai... she understood every word each of them said, understood the surface meaning, but sensed vaguely that each harbored hidden implications, saying one thing while meaning another.

This sudden "inspection" obviously contained some implication as well. Zhang Yunmi felt she almost grasped something, but always sensed a veil between her and full understanding, hazy and unclear.

"What? Can't figure it out?" Zhang Xiaoqi, who had come prepared, spoke up.

"Hm?" Zhang Yunmi was still struggling to sort out their various stances and the "implications" of their statements—during her days in Guangzhou, she had come to understand some "coded language." Being suddenly addressed, she was momentarily dazed.

"Actually, there is something I don't understand." Zhang Yunmi knew she'd been invited to ride together today because there was something to be said. Since Zhang Xiaoqi had now spoken, she would follow her lead. "Big sister, please help me understand. Especially his attitude."

"Speaking of this, I'm wide awake now." Zhang Xiaoqi had originally prepared to deliver a lecture on "The Discourse on the Rong Mansion," and now she heard "his"! Interesting—already using direct references.

"You didn't fail to understand what happened today, did you?"

"Um... Big sister is perceptive! Now that you mention it, I did feel something was off from the beginning." After recalling, Zhang Yunmi said with certainty: "I feel... everyone's reaction seemed somewhat... indifferent... This matter is very serious, but why did everyone seem like they were listening to a joke..."

Zhang Xiaoqi's heart first thumped: why hasn't this girl figured it out? Thinking more carefully, why had this girl been sent abroad at such a young age? Wasn't it precisely because her father's life secretary was "the servant bullying the master"? This girl's question came from personal identification! Then I should enlighten her! Zhang Xiaoqi's maternal instinct awakened, entering home education mode.

"It's just us sisters here; let's not speak in platitudes." Though she said this, she still lowered her voice—after all, the sedan bearers weren't their "sisters," and this sedan, frankly speaking, had no soundproofing whatsoever.

"First, the victim isn't here; we don't need to get worked up, right?"

Zhang Yunmi nodded—but not getting worked up doesn't mean it should be brushed off lightly...

"Second, setting aside what it means for us, even the victim himself could have just shot that secretary dead—of course, there would inevitably be a commotion. But though there would be punishment in the end, it wouldn't be too heavy. Right?" Zhang Xiaoqi said lightly: "For an ant that can be crushed with one hand, what's there to be so angry about? Getting so worked up is just bad for the liver—might as well stir-fry some liver tips."

When these words came from Zhang Xiaoqi's mouth, Zhang Yunmi felt a slight chill—was this what Liu Xiang often called "the consciousness of the ruling class"? At that moment, light from the guiding torch outside shone in, striking "Sister Zhang's" face. She was smiling warmly, but suddenly Zhang Yunmi felt a slight chill on her neck.

"...Mm." Zhang Yunmi quickly lowered her head. What turned in her mind at this moment wasn't Chu He, whom she had no impression of, but her own troubled past.

She gathered her thoughts and asked, following Zhang Xiaoqi's words: "But even if killing her results in just penalty drinks, wouldn't he have made an enemy of Zhou Wei?"

"Zhou Wei... this secretary doing things like this..." Zhang Xiaoqi quickly adjusted the framing before continuing: "This grudge was formed long ago. Even without this incident, even if they later cooperated happily, wouldn't Chu He and his group still harbor resentment? Later, when Zhou Wei and Huang Qi's proposals are inexplicably opposed at general meetings, they probably still won't understand when they offended people. That's why we always emphasize managing the people around you. When the people around you dig a pit for you, you fall in bafflingly, and you might still be in the pit wondering why the whole world opposes you. From ancient times to the present, countless high officials and nobles have stumbled because of the people around them."

The reasoning was correct, but it had nothing to do with her... right? The father and daughter who had only corresponded by letter had grown somewhat distant. Zhang Yunmi suddenly felt a bit lacking in confidence.

"Then why not handle it seriously? Everyone looked helpless! Clearly they could have..." As she said this, Zhang Yunmi wanted to use her own example but stopped when the words reached her lips.

Zhang Xiaoqi quickly reached out to stroke Zhang Yunmi's back, looking like she was doting on her eldest daughter.

"This matter depends on who you want to deal with."

Zhang Yunmi didn't move, picking up the question.

"Isn't it just one person... uh... maybe two?"

"Let's go through them one by one." Zhang Xiaoqi smiled slightly and slowed the rhythm of her stroking.

"This Secretary Zhou—well, we actually don't have any way to deal with her."

"Not because she's capable, but because this mess has been put in the public eye." Zhang Xiaoqi analyzed: "Once it's out in the open, everyone has to follow the rules, both openly and covertly. They have to protect interests—not just Chu He's interests, but Zhou Wei's too. Chu He is a Senator; isn't Zhou Wei also a Senator? When things are placed into the 'public discussion' situation, what's being protected is the interests of 'Senators.'"

Zhang Xiaoqi paused to catch her breath and continued: "Even if Chu He didn't have the guts to kill anyone, if he had just given that Secretary Zhou a few full-force slaps on the spot—there wouldn't be so much trouble here. When Zhou Wei returns, we step forward, Chu He throws a banquet, drinks three penalty cups—what can Zhou Wei say? It's not just Chu He's business; the people Zhou Wei offended, even if they don't applaud openly, definitely support it in their hearts! With Zhou Wei's personality, he might even personally help pour the wine."

The more she said, the clearer it became, but her heart also grew colder. Zhang Yunmi knew that when her father's case had come out, Senators had probably discussed it in this same tone.

The sedan was pitch black. Zhang Xiaoqi couldn't see her "little sister's" expression and continued:

"The difficulty is that Chu He really could endure. According to Old Liu, he didn't even give a slap. If he had slapped her a few times, when that secretary cries to Zhou Wei upon his return, it becomes a personal grudge. Then whether Zhou Wei confronted it head-on, or hung this secretary at the guesthouse entrance and whipped her with a belt, the matter would be small and wouldn't concern us."

"But he just turned around and came to the municipal government. Coming is coming. If it were just trapping Old Liu alone—but coincidentally, we were having a meeting today, and he ran into us. Since we encountered the matter, we could hardly avoid expressing a stance... Speaking of stances, but when things are blown up, there's only one stance we can express."

Right, right, right, but why didn't they go for the kill? Back then, I was considering my father's feelings and my own face... How did today's matter just blow over?

"But expressing a stance is simple; action is difficult. Little sister, let me ask you: what unit is Zhou Wei with?"

"Ah! Nanyang Company? No other position, right?"

"Right, Nanyang Company... a commercial organization! Chu He's entry point for his complaint was not following administrative regulations... But they're not an administrative unit!"

"But the Nanyang Company is a national policy company. According to our 'Supervision Regulations,' the personnel and administrative management of national policy-level enterprises under the Planning Committee's jurisdiction are referenced to Senate administrative agencies."

Zhang Xiaoqi nodded approvingly: "Little sister, you've been paying attention! You're right! But there's still one problem here. This Nanyang Company, strictly speaking, hasn't been formally established yet. Besides Zhou Wei himself and the employees of the Southeast Asia Company, no one is its employee."

(End of Chapter)