Chapter 284: Letting Society’s Bad Trends Blow In
“Huh? Was I being that obvious?” Cao Weida looked around innocently with a face full of innocence, causing the corners of everyone’s mouths at the table to twitch slightly.
Good grief, what’s the difference between that and just saying it outright?
If Ji Hongxin still couldn’t figure it out, he’d really be too stupid!
“Cao Weida! Don’t bully people too much!!” Ji Hongxin’s face flushed red with anger, his finger trembling as he pointed at Cao Weida and growled lowly:
“I am the deputy director of the Police Station! You have no right to restrict my personal freedom!”
“Oh? Is that so?” His anger didn’t affect Cao Weida at all, who smiled faintly on his face. “I never said I wanted to restrict your freedom. I’m all thinking about your health.”
“You are the backbone of our Police Station, and you’ve worked especially hard during this time. If something happened to you, like dying from drinking water, dying in your sleep, dying while eating, or even dying from breathing, that would be a major loss for our Beiping Fifth District Police Station!”
“People, once they get older, need to rest. This body is something that’s nurtured. Don’t be naughty, be obedient.”
Ji Hongxin was so angry he laughed. Was this even human talk?
Did they really think he was a three-year-old child? Would he believe such an idiotic excuse?!
‘Bang’!
Lin Angxiong slammed the table and stood up, glaring at Cao Weida with eyes full of fury:
“Director Cao, although you are the director, you have no right to house arrest Deputy Director Ji!”
“Today I’m standing here. I want to see who dares to make a move!”
“I think today’s meeting is pretty much over. Deputy Director Ji, let’s go!”
Now that faces had been openly torn, Ji Hongxin dropped all pretense of civility, snorted coldly, got up from his seat, and led his people out.
When passing by Cao Weida’s side and meeting the other’s half-smiling expression, he snorted coldly again and reached for the door to leave.
Just as he opened the door to go out, he found the doorway already blocked by people.
“Deputy Director Ji must really be tired to be in such a hurry to leave.”
Since he had called this meeting, he had naturally prepared for everything in advance.
What is the most unsolvable scheme in the world?
It’s never some conspiracy, but an open scheme that strikes at the root!
In his previous life’s TV series, the schemes were more intricate than one another, calculated to perfection, with conspiracies starting long in advance.
But in reality?
Not that mysterious at all.
Anyone who’s studied history knows that throughout the ages, the most ruthless power plays are often the simplest and most brutal.
Actually, it’s very simple, just two words: hold a meeting!
Liu Bang wanted to arrest Han Xin, called him to a meeting, and took him down easily.
Empress Lü wanted to kill Han Xin, also called him into the palace for a meeting.
He Jin was called to a meeting and killed midway by eunuchs.
Dong Zhuo was also invited by Wang Yun for drinks and a meeting, and hacked to death on the spot.
Even Li Jiancheng was ambushed and killed by Li Shimin on the way to a meeting.
Qing Dynasty’s Oboi was tough enough, but still tricked into the palace by the emperor for a meeting and dealt with.
Even the powerful minister Erzhu Rong was deceived by the emperor into a meeting and killed.
Now, Cao Weida was also holding a meeting, but the target wasn’t some famous historical figure, just a small deputy director.
I’ve stooped this low, and if I don’t speak up, you still want to leave?
This is not giving Old Cao face!
Seeing the door blocked, Ji Hongxin’s face completely changed.
He looked at Cao Weida in disbelief, his eyes conveying only one meaning: ‘You’re actually serious?!’
“Director, I, Ji Hongxin, don’t think I’ve ever offended you. We’ve had no grudges in the past or recently. Though we have differing opinions, isn’t this a bit too domineering?!”
“If you don’t listen to my opinions, you can act at will, but if you’re really going to house arrest me, at least give a reasonable excuse!”
Cao Weida, who had been smiling all along, restrained his smile and looked at him coldly, saying flatly:
“Don’t think you’re the only smart one in the world. I didn’t originally want to make such a big fuss, but you shouldn’t have tried to play mind games with me!”
“Don’t think no one can see through your little schemes, and don’t think of yourself as smart while treating everyone else as fools.”
“I don’t like trouble. Since you want to cause me trouble, I’ll have to solve the trouble first.”
“Is this reason enough?”
Ji Hongxin gritted his teeth, about to explain something, but Cao Weida waved impatiently:
“Enough, no need for so many explanations. Little Ear, take them away.”
“Remember, three meals a day, deliver them on time. Don’t let our deputy director go hungry.”
“Oh right, I almost forgot. Since Section Chief Lin is so protective of his master, invite Section Chief Lin along too.”
Hearing the order, Little Ear immediately led the patrolmen into action, but Lin Angxiong and Ji Hongxin weren’t willing to go down without a fight, struggling fiercely and roaring:
“Cao Weida! Don’t think you can be so reckless just because the Japanese are backing you!”
“I warn you, I have people behind me too! If you insist on this, someone will settle accounts with you!”
“What a racket.” Cao Weida dug in his ear impatiently and waved: “These are all hardworking people from our Police Station. How can you drag them? Escort them out!!”
“Cao Weida, you’ll regret this!”
“Let me go! Bastard!”
No matter how hard the two struggled, how could they resist?
Their voices grew fainter and fainter until they disappeared. Cao Weida’s eyes swept over the remaining people.
Those glanced at immediately felt like sitting on pins and needles. They inwardly clicked their tongues—domineering, too domineering!
Ji Hongxin was the deputy director!
And he was just house arrested like that?!
Their hearts were in turmoil, not knowing what to do for a moment.
With Cao Weida not speaking, they dared not speak even more, lowering their heads in silence.
After who knows how long, just as everyone was feeling uneasy, Cao Weida finally spoke:
“Let me emphasize again, I hate trouble very much, so please don’t make things difficult for me in the future.”
“But, I’m also quite reasonable and consider myself generous.”
“As long as you faithfully carry out my orders, I won’t treat you poorly.”
He paused, seeing everyone listening attentively, and smiled inwardly with satisfaction. It seemed the earlier shock tactic had worked well.
After all, his age was there—only eighteen, too young.
These were all seasoned veterans. To get them to work properly, no one could guarantee success.
But when it came to pretending to obey but disobeying in reality or slacking off, they were all experts.
He had just taken office here. Compared to these people deeply rooted here, as an outsider, to win them over, he had to use thunderous means to intimidate them and prevent any contempt.
Originally, he only planned to light three fires, but unluckily, Ji Hongxin dared to play mind games with him!
If he didn’t make good use of it, wouldn’t that waste nature’s gift?
“Those who’ve dealt with me know me, or you can go ask around. I’m never stingy.”
“The money we got, everyone in the Fifth District Police Station has a share, of course including all of you here.”
These words perked everyone up. Among them were departments with plenty of kickbacks, like the Administrative Section, Public Security Section, and General Affairs Section.
But there were also departments with insufficient kickbacks.
Like the Judicial Section, Health Office, and Traffic Section.
But no matter the department, more money was always welcome.
Involving their own interests, everyone immediately perked up.
Before, whether kickbacks were plentiful or not, outside extras had nothing to do with them—basically all divided among the director, deputy director, and Section Chief Lin.
But now, though Cao Weida acted domineeringly, he gave money!
As long as he gave them money, he was a good leader!
“Director, rest assured, we will fully cooperate!”
“Yes, yes, our Traffic Section has some manpower and can fully assist the director in maintaining public order!”
“I’ve long heard of the director’s reputation. Deputy Director Ji actually dared to bully the director for being young and try to set a trap—too much!”
“Exactly, house arresting him is already going easy!”
“And that Lin Angxiong, he’s Ji Hongxin’s lackey, arrogant and rampant usually, daring to slam the table in the director’s face!”
Watching them chime in one after another, gradually turning into a denunciation of the two house-arrested men, Cao Weida couldn’t help laughing out loud.
He pressed his hand down: “Alright, alright, that’s enough.”
“Actually, I don’t want to play the new official’s three fires trick. Since the play is over, go back to what you were doing.”
“But I warn you, behave yourselves daily, no doing wicked things.”
At this point, he stopped, rubbed his brow, and continued:
“I assume you know about recent events—quite a few people mysteriously disappeared, and we still haven’t found out who’s behind it.”
“But from what I know, those missing were all people who usually mistreated the Chinese people and did evil deeds.”
“If you want to court death, go ahead, but I warn you in advance, don’t implicate me! I don’t want to be dragged down because one of you did something bad.”
These recent events couldn’t be hidden even if tried, and many people knew.
Who among those present wasn’t a sophisticated operator?
They naturally knew the news too.
Thinking of that certain existence lurking in Beiping, specifically targeting those who harmed the Chinese people, they couldn’t help shivering.
At this thought, everyone nodded eagerly—they didn’t want to be the next to disappear!
“.”
After the meeting ended, Cao Weida stayed in the office smoking, receiving one official subordinate after another coming to ‘report work’.
Boxes of pastries and such in the corner had already piled up.
After the Foreign Affairs Section Chief left, Cao Weida glanced at the clock on the wall and said: “Who hasn’t come yet?”
Zheng Chaoyang beside him checked the list and replied: “Foreign Affairs Section Liang Xinyuan, Patrol Team Captain Ying Feiguang, Supervision Office Section Chief Guang Yuhua, and Communications Group Deputy Group Leader Wen Yongwang.”
“Among them, Patrol Team Captain Ying Feiguang is out leading a patrol mission, not in the Bureau. Foreign Affairs Section Liang Xinyuan is out—someone reported this morning that Fuqu Dayong, president of Fuqu Trading Company, was robbed, so he went to investigate.”
Seeing Zheng Chaoyang not continuing, Cao Weida mused: “So that means the other two are still in the Bureau?”
Zheng Chaoyang nodded, and Cao Weida snorted: “Looks like our deputy director is quite popular—look how loyal and devoted they are.”
He didn’t know who had come, but he definitely remembered clearly who hadn’t.
You have to bring in those bad social customs!
Old Cao might look down on your trifles, but you can’t not send them!
Hearing this, Zheng Chaoyang grinned. Indeed, these two were a bit clueless.
The top boss’s first day on the job, and you don’t come pay homage to the dock—that’s openly opposing him.
His eyes glanced at the pile of gifts in the corner, inwardly sighing that these old-era officials really had human relationships and social etiquette down pat.
These gifts had all passed through his hands, and the weights were obviously different—what was inside was obvious.
At that moment, hurried footsteps approached, stopping abruptly at the door.
With Cao Weida’s sharp ears, he clearly heard the sound of regulating breathing.
After a moment, having adjusted his breathing, the door was knocked on.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and a man in his thirties walked in with a flushed face. The sweat on his forehead had obviously been wiped, but new sweat was still seeping out slowly.
“Director, sorry, sorry, really sorry. I had to go out on inspection for a task earlier.”
“Hahaha, Captain Ying is too polite. Duty comes first—you didn’t need to rush back specially. Look how tired you are, sweat won’t stop.”
“Sit, sit. Chaoyang, get a cup of water to catch his breath.”
“Thank you, thank you, Secretary Zheng.” Ying Feiguang hurriedly thanked him and downed the water.
“Another cup?”
“No, no, thanks Secretary Zheng.”
Handing back the water cup with a bow of thanks, Ying Feiguang looked humble, his face piled with a smile that could melt ice and snow:
“Director, from now on I’m your soldier. Whenever you have any orders, just call on me.”
As he spoke, he handed over the gift box he brought: “A small token, not much.”
“Hey~~ Captain Ying, what is this? Too polite.”
“Should, should. Just a little something.”
Ying Feiguang’s smile carried flattery as he leaned in two steps and lowered his voice: “I know you hate evil like enemies. These are some Japanese floral fabrics from a smuggling bust the day before yesterday. The owner was sensible and gave a bit of respect money.”
Finally, he added: “This didn’t go through Japanese hands—it’s clean.”
Zheng Chaoyang couldn’t help looking at Cao Weida, who nodded slightly, and only then did he take the gift box.
Feeling it lightly, it wasn’t heavy—actually quite light.
But he knew that some things, the lighter they were, the better they represented.
After Zheng Chaoyang took the gift box, Ying Feiguang tactfully said: “Then Director, I have some work to handle, so I’ll head out first. If there’s anything undecided in work later, I’ll need your guidance.”
Cao Weida nodded and encouraged him a couple sentences before letting him go.
After he left, Zheng Chaoyang closed the door, opened the gift box in front of Cao Weida, and exclaimed ‘whoa’: “This Captain Ying is really generous, sending such a heavy gift!”
