The Republic of China: I, Xiangzi, a Hero in a Chaotic Era

His tone was sincere, and his posture was extremely humble.

Zhang Tiancheng felt even more comfortable after hearing these soothing words. He laughed twice, picked up the covered teacup on the table, took a sip, and then slowly said:

"Hmm, you're a sensible person. By the way, besides reporting on work, is there anything else you came here for today?"

He put down his teacup and looked at Liu Jiaxiang with a questioning gaze.

Liu Jiaxiang remained expressionless, leaned forward slightly, and answered in a steady voice:

"Your Excellency, Director, there is indeed another matter I would like to discuss with you. It concerns the people and car factories within our Xisi North jurisdiction."

"People and car manufacturers?"

Zhang Tiancheng frowned slightly and tapped his temples lightly with his fingers, as if he were recalling something.

"Oh...is that the car factory that Liu Laosi owns? The one on Xianmen Street?"

"Indeed, Director, you know him too?"

Liu Jiaxiang then revealed a perfectly timed "surprise".

Zhang Tiancheng let out a soft, ambiguous snort, his face revealing a complex expression that mixed disdain and a sense of control:

"Hmph, I know. Back in the Qing Dynasty, this Liu Laosi was a minor hoodlum in the Xi'an area. He was originally a garrison soldier, but he was dismissed for dishonest behavior."

"Later, relying on his ruthlessness and shamelessness, he started by setting up gambling dens, lending money at exorbitant interest rates, and did a lot of other swindling and cheating."

He paused, seemingly reminiscing about his glorious past, his tone carrying a hint of arrogance befitting someone in a superior position.

"Back then, I was working at the Shuntian Prefecture government office, and I led men to arrest him once. That old bastard was tough as nails. In the cell, two of the boards were broken, but he still stubbornly refused to reveal the whereabouts of the stolen money he had hidden. He was a real tough nut to crack. Later... well, we had to teach him a lesson before he finally confessed."

He picked up his teacup, gently skimmed off the foam with the lid, and glanced at Liu Jiaxiang.

"What's wrong? You're new in charge, and this old coffin is giving you trouble? Acting like a senior, refusing to be disciplined?"

Liu Jiaxiang waved his hand, a calm yet confident smile appearing on his face:

"He doesn't have the guts. But..."

Liu Jiaxiang then changed the subject, lowering his voice and conveying a solemn sense of speaking out for "justice".

"During my time rectifying the area, I thoroughly investigated Liu Si's past misdeeds. He was a corrupt official who embezzled public funds, framed and harmed people, forced women into prostitution, and engaged in extortionate lending; his crimes were truly heinous!"

"Now that he's old, he's suddenly opened a car factory, and he thinks he can launder his money, retire comfortably, and enjoy a peaceful old age? Director, tell me, is there any justice left?"

He paused slightly, observing Zhang Tiancheng's expression, and continued.

"As it happens, I currently have a solid piece of evidence against him that is irrefutable."

"If, Chief, you are willing to rid the region of this scourge and, incidentally... recover some of the ill-gotten gains he amassed over the years, I am willing to share your burden and give this old man a good dressing down. What do you say?"

"Rendering oil?"

A glint flashed in Zhang Tiancheng's eyes, and he subconsciously leaned forward.

He picked up the teacup but didn't drink. Instead, he gently rubbed the warm cup with his fingertips, pondered for a moment, and then lowered his voice, asking with the caution typical of officials.

"Jiaxiang, is this matter...reliable? Is the evidence conclusive? Won't it...cause some gossip?"

"You have to understand, this is not the Qing Dynasty anymore, it's the Republic of China now. The government talks about the rule of law and civilization every day. We have to pay attention to the impact of everything we do, and we have to be able to withstand scrutiny."

Despite his words, his eyes were fixed on Liu Jiaxiang, and the light in them was not one of worry, but rather a deep expectation for the results of the "oil extraction".

A confident smile curved Liu Jiaxiang's lips. His voice was lower, yet each word was clear, carrying an air of complete control.

"Director, please rest assured. This matter is absolutely reasonable and compliant, watertight, and no one can find any fault with it. I have already thought out the specific procedures."

"I will arrange for a trustworthy person from the underworld to handle this."

"On your side, you only need to assign a trusted brother to secretly supervise and receive the 'stolen money' that this old guy 'voluntarily' regurgitates in a 'personal' capacity."

"Throughout the entire process, you and I were only handling official business in the office and were completely unaware of this."

"In the unlikely event... I mean, in the unlikely event, if any unscrupulous word gets out, it's just some audacious gang member impersonating someone from our police station to extort money. It has absolutely nothing to do with you, Chief, or me, Liu Jiaxiang. They should be arrested and punished without exception!"

Upon hearing the words "completely unaware," "impersonation for extortion," and "completely unrelated," Zhang Tiancheng's tense lips finally couldn't help but curl upwards, eventually transforming into a knowing and satisfied smile.

He put down his teacup, leaned back in his wide chair, and tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest, making a soft sound of approval.

"Okay! Okay!"

Zhang Tiancheng's voice regained its previous loudness, carrying a sense of righteous indignation as he rid the people of evil.

"Since Jiaxiang, you've considered everything so thoroughly, then let's do it this way! It's a disgrace to the law to let a heinous criminal like Liu Si roam free for so many years!"

"Making him cough up some ill-gotten gains would be a way to get some justice for those he harmed! This is the right thing to do! It's a good thing!"

Their eyes met in mid-air, one beaming with smiles, the other remaining humble, each reflecting a deep, unspoken understanding between them.

Inside the office, sunlight streamed in through the glass windows, casting a warm glow and making the mahogany furniture shine. This also silently drowned out the undercurrent of this subtle exchange of interests under the guise of "enforcing the law impartially" and "eliminating harm for the people."

Everything is understood without words.

After leaving the Commissioner's office, Lau Ka-cheung walked steadily through the police station's somewhat noisy corridor and headed straight for the office of Clerk Chow Shing-on.

The door was ajar. He raised his hand and knocked twice before pushing the door open and entering.

The reason why Liu Jiaxiang was able to connect with Director Zhang Tiancheng so quickly and gain his trust is inseparable from Zhou Chengan's strong recommendation.

The day after taking office, Liu Jiaxiang hosted a banquet for Zhou Chengan.

During the dinner, Zhou Chengan drank a couple more glasses and revealed that he and Director Zhang Tiancheng were cousins.

Liu Jiaxiang seized the opportunity and used this to pave the way with silver dollars, successfully impressing Zhou Chengan and thus successfully getting on the good side of Director Zhang Tiancheng.

At this moment, Zhou Cheng'an was hunched over his desk organizing files. Hearing the sound, he looked up and saw Liu Jiaxiang. His face immediately broke into a familiar smile. He put down his pen and leaned back in his chair.

"Brother Jiaxiang is here, please have a seat."

He pointed to the chair opposite the desk.

"How did your talk with the director go?"