Chapter 294: I’m Not Asking You To Admit Defeat—i’m Asking You To Submit To Me!
“Oh? Let me see.”
Cao Weida’s interest was greatly piqued, and he opened the document bag, took out the documents inside, and flipped through them, suddenly unable to hold back a laugh.
“Well, well, the records are quite detailed—time, place, people, all noted clear as day.”
“Looks like our Deputy Director Ji really isn’t popular. The moment an opportunity arises, everyone can’t resist piling on.”
He put the materials back into the file bag. “Let’s go meet our Deputy Director Ji.”
The room where Ji Hongxin was under house arrest was located in the northwest corner of the District Office.
The furnishings inside were fairly complete; everything was there except things that could contact the outside world.
When Cao Weida walked into the room where Ji Hongxin was under house arrest, he caught Ji Hongxin smashing a porcelain bowl onto the ground.
Half a bowl of coarse rice mixed with pickled vegetable bits splattered onto the green bricks, and the porcelain bowl rolled twice before hitting a notch in the wall base.
“Yo, looks like Deputy Director Ji’s temper is hotter than Beiping’s summer.”
Cao Weida brushed the dust off his dark blue police uniform, his tone giving no hint of emotion.
Little Ear behind him was just about to order someone to clean up when he raised a hand to stop him: “If our Deputy Director Ji wants to smash things, let him. Who doesn’t have some special hobby?”
“You all go out first. I’ll have a heart-to-heart with Deputy Director Ji.”
Ji Hongxin sat on the wooden stool with his neck stiff, his hair disheveled, and dark circles under his eyes, clearly not having rested well these past few days.
But even so, he still kept his back straight, his tone laced with sarcasm: “Is Director Cao here to gloat or to urge me to write my resignation?”
“Hey~~ Deputy Director Ji, what are you saying? Your contributions to the District Office are plain for all of us here to see. If you resign, it’d be a loss for our District Office!”
What a joke—how could Cao Weida possibly let him go?
In the District Office, he was the boss; he could shape the other man however he pleased.
But if he let him out, it’d be releasing the tiger back to the mountain.
With help from the Puppet Government, even if he didn’t do this deputy director job, Ji Hongxin would absolutely be arranged in some other position.
Better to keep him under his nose than let him out as an uncertain factor.
If he ever felt the guy was ungrateful, it would be easy to find an excuse to kill him.
“Heh.”
Ji Hongxin sneered coldly; he clearly saw through Cao Weida’s intentions. It was just that he didn’t want to let him go, cloaked in such high-sounding words—disgusting!
“Cao Weida, cut the act. Didn’t you just sycophantically cozy up to the little devils to become director? You really think you’re some indispensable figure?!”
Resentment shone in his eyes: “That director position was supposed to be mine. You crawled up by being a dog for the Japanese—think you can sit steady in it?!”
Cao Weida narrowed his eyes; anyone would feel unhappy being mocked so bluntly to their face.
But in an instant, he recovered, dragged over a nearby stool and sat down, leisurely took out a cigarette, lit it, took a drag, then looked at the other man with a fake smile:
“Whether I sit steady in this position is none of Deputy Director Ji’s concern. Worry about yourself.”
He emphasized the word “deputy” heavily. Before the other could get angry, he cut him off with a wave, shook the document bag in his hand, tapped it lightly with his fingertips, and said meaningfully:
“Deputy Director Ji is truly well-connected, knowing all sorts from various social strata.”
“Let’s not beat around the bush. I already know about that batch of private goods you hid in the Deshengmen grain depot.”
Ji Hongxin’s shoulders visibly stiffened, and when he jerked his head up, his eyes were full of shock and anger.
That batch of grain was what he’d withheld under various pretexts earlier, just waiting to sell it in a few days for hefty profits.
He’d done it very covertly; even his confidants only knew the basics.
He thought Cao Weida was bluffing him, so suppressing his inner panic, he feigned calm: “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Don’t think you can take me down with some random charge!”
In his view, Cao Weida had only been at the District Office a few days—how could he possibly find solid evidence so quickly?
Besides, he’d done it very covertly; it couldn’t be that easy to uncover.
Unfortunately, he was wrong—very, very wrong.
Cao Weida had only been director a few days, so finding anything wasn’t easy, but Ji Hongxin just didn’t have good relations in the District Office.
Little Ear had only hinted at wanting to investigate, and all sorts of evidence came knocking.
And the reason for that was entirely due to Ji Hongxin’s previous arrogance; he’d swallowed all those “extra incomes” himself. Apart from his confidants, no one else even got a sip of soup.
It’s not scarcity that troubles men, but unevenness. If everyone did it, fine, but you eat till your mouth drips oil while others can only watch—who wouldn’t feel jealous and resentful?
Plus, he’d been deliberately suppressing them, even wanting to replace them with his own people, naturally offending everyone else to death.
Now with a chance to kick him while he’s down, how could they pass it up?
“Don’t know?” Cao Weida shrugged. You say you won’t admit it, fine?
He pulled a photograph from the document bag and tossed it in front of Ji Hongxin: “See for yourself.”
Ji Hongxin picked up the photo, and his heart sank with a thud—trouble.
It turned out the photo showed the back door of the grain depot, with Ji Hongxin in casual clothes directing men to load grain bags onto a horse-drawn carriage; the locust tree and the depot’s door number were clearly visible in the background.
“So, clear enough photo, right?” Cao Weida sneered, then waved an account book in his hand:
“And this—the grain depot’s inventory records. The numbers you had the accountant’s office alter don’t even match the handwriting.”
At this point, he leaned forward a bit, teasing: “Say, if I send these to Officer Ono, will he charge you with ‘colluding with bandits’ or ’embezzling military grain’?”
At these words, Ji Hongxin’s face instantly drained of color. He stumbled forward, reaching to grab the account book, but Cao Weida pinned his wrist.
What a joke—snatching an account book from this old man’s Northern Fist Grandmaster hands?
If you grabbed it, this old man might as well bash his head in and die!
“Don’t rush. If I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t come here myself.”
Ji Hongxin’s wrist hurt from the grip, but he didn’t dare struggle. Gone was his earlier arrogance; his eyes were full of anxiety, his voice trembling:
“What exactly do you want? The director position is already yours. I admit defeat—let this go!”
“Admitting defeat enough?” Cao Weida snorted coldly, flung his hand away, and put the account book back in the file bag:
“First day I was director at the meeting, you opposed me outright and even tried to dig a pit for me.”
“Everyone below was watching. If I just let you go like this, who’ll listen to me in the future?”
“If anyone unhappy with me pulls this stunt, what then?”
He expressionlessly blew a puff of cigarette ash at Ji Hongxin’s face, his voice icy: “I don’t want you admitting defeat—I want you submitting to me!”
The power struggles between the Puppet Government and the Japanese side had never stopped from the start, especially in fish-dragon-mixed places like the Police Station, basically a state of you in me, me in you.
If Ji Hongxin were taken out, besides pulling more hatred from Puppet Government officials, it wouldn’t benefit him at all.
Without Ji Hongxin, there’d be a Li Hongxin, Pan Hongxin; to balance, the little devils would compromise, letting the Puppet Government prop up a new deputy director.
Since there’d inevitably be a Puppet Government person in the position anyway, better to keep Ji Hongxin—at least under his control with leverage to take his life anytime, he was easier to manage.
Ji Hongxin stared at the photo in his hand, knuckles white from gripping.
He knew Cao Weida was telling the truth. If this got out, forget deputy director—he’d lose his life.
But bending to this parachuted director? He couldn’t swallow that.
Because he knew even more that Cao Weida was sparing him only because his life was now in Cao Weida’s hands.
If the other used this leverage to make him do things later, should he refuse or cooperate?
“Don’t worry,” Cao Weida said as if reading his mind, faintly:
“I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to. Just cooperate openly on the surface from now on and stay honest privately.”
“The Japanese side wants surface peace. We each do our jobs; under the rules I set, don’t cause trouble.”
He patted the file bag in his hand, looking at Ji Hongxin whose face shifted uncertainly, and suddenly smiled:
“You’re a smart man. I hope you make a wise choice.”
“Starting now, your house arrest is over. Go back today and rest well.”
“Tomorrow morning, I hope to see you in the Deputy Director’s Office.”
Ji Hongxin stared at the file bag, then at Cao Weida.
Suddenly, the fight drained from him, bitterness appearing on his face.
He understood that from the moment the other got this evidence, he had no choice left.
Either obey obediently or die!
But did he dare die?
He hadn’t lived enough yet!
He rose trembling, looking at Cao Weida hesitantly, asking uneasily: “You’re sure you won’t use this to threaten me into helping you with things?”
Cao Weida stood, straightened his police uniform collar: “I’m no good man, Cao Weida, but I keep my word. But remember—don’t think of opposing me again. My patience isn’t endless.”
“Also, soon I’ll put this evidence somewhere safe. Rest assured, as long as we keep the peace, it’ll never see a Japanese desk.”
Ji Hongxin nodded bitterly. No choice left, so be it.
He knew that from the instant that breath of defiance left him, he was no longer the Ji Hongxin vying for director—he was meat on Cao Weida’s chopping block, forced to follow his rhythm.
Seeing the other’s demeanor, Cao Weida knew he’d made his choice.
With the matter settled, no need to stay.
Suddenly thinking of something, his heart jumped. Seeing Cao Weida about to walk out, he immediately shouted: “Wait!”
“What, does Deputy Director Ji have more business?”
Ji Hongxin looked conflicted at first, then as if resolving something, exhaled sharply and declared: “Director Cao, thanks for sparing me. Here’s some news that might be useful to you.”
After a pause, he said word for word the news that made Cao Weida’s heart jump: “For certain reasons, someone in city hall wants you harm. Director Cao, be extra careful coming and going these days.”
Cao Weida nodded thoughtfully with a smile: “Thanks for Deputy Director Ji’s concern. I’ll be careful. Anything else?”
“No, that’s all I know.” Ji Hongxin shook his head. Telling this secret was like giving a pledge of allegiance, right?
Hope Cao Weida keeps his word.
“Alright, got it. Thanks again for Deputy Director Ji’s loyalty. As long as we ‘cooperate fully,’ my words stand.”
The moment the door closed gently, the smile vanished from Cao Weida’s face, turning ominously grim.
“Damn, someone in city hall wants to assassinate me.”
He could roughly guess why—besides the matter with Guo Dashuai and Hu Zi Liu Changjiang, what else?
“So, who exactly wants me dead?”
The question spun in his mind not two seconds before he shoved it out.
The Guo Dashuai matter implicated too many government officials—who knew which one unhappy with him wanted him dead.
Hell, it might not even be one or two—impossible to guess.
“Big Brother Cao.” Little Ear hurried up, seeing Cao Weida’s off expression.
“Was it that bastard Ji Hongxin not knowing when to quit? Want me to teach him a lesson for you?”
Cao Weida shook his head: “No need, not Ji Hongxin’s issue. Arrange a good spread of food and drink for him, a hot water bath, then let him go.”
Let him go?
Had Ji Hongxin submitted?
Then why was Big Brother Cao’s face so off?
Little Ear didn’t ask more, acknowledged, and immediately went to arrange it.
As a younger brother, know the rules: ask what should be asked, never what shouldn’t.
He’d always done well on this point.
“.”
When Little Ear finished arranging and came to the Director’s Office, he saw Cao Weida rubbing his chin in thought.
“Big Brother Cao.”
“Mm, all arranged?”
“All arranged.”
With that, Little Ear pulled a chair and sat nearby, quietly awaiting Cao Weida’s orders.
Sure enough, soon Cao Weida called: “Little Ear.”
Little Ear shot to his feet: “Big Brother Cao, your orders.”
“Say, it’s been a while since I went to Xiaguang Garden, right? Your girl must’ve nagged you plenty about it.”
Hearing Cao Weida’s teasing words, Little Ear blushed, stammering: “Actually, it’s not that bad. Mainly, the two sisters-in-law Xie Wanrou and Qiu Shuyi really miss you, Big Brother Cao, but didn’t dare come find you without reason, so they nagged Han Lu a few times.”
