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

Zhang Tiancheng was taken aback, then a very satisfied smile bloomed on his face, and the red glow intensified.

"Oh? Jiaxiang's here. Quick, let him in!"

Zhang Tiancheng leaned forward unconsciously, his voice filled with undisguised urgency.

Soon, Liu Jiaxiang appeared at the door.

He walked steadily to the desk and stood about three steps away, his posture as straight as a pine tree. He gave Zhang Tiancheng a proper salute.

"This humble servant, Liu Jiaxiang, greets the Director."

"Sit down, Jiaxiang, please sit down."

Zhang Tiancheng enthusiastically pointed to the chair opposite the desk, his smile almost overflowing.

"You've come at the right time; I was just looking for you."

Liu Jiaxiang sat down as instructed, occupying only half of the chair, with his hands neatly placed on his knees in a respectful manner.

"What are your orders, Director?"

Zhang Tiancheng leaned forward slightly, placed his hands on the table, and stared intently at Liu Jiaxiang, his tone carrying an almost urgent urgency:

"Jiaxiang, how's that thing you told me about dealing with Liu Si going?"

Liu Jiaxiang's heart stirred slightly.

The director's demeanor and tone today were completely different from the one he had last time when he came to report, when he was pleased but still composed. Instead, he exuded an undisguised anxiety and greed.

His expression remained calm and composed as he replied in a steady voice:

"Reporting to the Director, I have come to report this matter to you."

"Everything has been arranged. Tomorrow, the victim will come to the police station to file a formal complaint against Liu Si for hiring thugs to injure people and for human trafficking."

"At that time, our police station only needs to process the case according to regulations, issue arrest warrants, and make arrests. The rest of the procedures will be handled by the designated personnel. I will keep a close eye on the whole process to ensure that nothing goes wrong."

"Great! Great! Well arranged!"

Zhang Tiancheng said "good" twice, tapped his finger happily on the table, and then asked another question.

"Well... it will probably take a few days to completely squeeze every last drop out of this old coffin."

"Back in the Qing Dynasty, he was a treasury guard who managed the silver vault. He amassed a considerable fortune through dishonest means."

Liu Jiaxiang hesitated for a moment, then answered cautiously:

"Reporting to the Director, Liu Si is indeed a seasoned scoundrel, very slick. To thoroughly uncover all his hidden secrets without leaving any future troubles, it would be difficult without ten or twenty days of meticulous investigation."

"Ten days, twenty days..."

Zhang Tiancheng's brows furrowed immediately, his expression growing more anxious. He leaned forward again and lowered his voice.

"Jiaxiang, could you... go a little faster? Time is of the essence."

Liu Jiaxiang's gaze lingered on Zhang Tiancheng's anxious face for a moment, and his doubts seemed to be confirmed.

He maintained a respectful demeanor, his tone carrying just the right amount of concern and probing:

"Director, if I may be so bold as to ask, do you... have any urgent need for funds?"

"If you, Director, are temporarily short of funds, I can spare a thousand silver dollars, which I can give you in full for the time being."

As he spoke, he kept an eye on Zhang Tiancheng's reaction.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Tiancheng's eyes instantly filled with approval and satisfaction as he looked at Liu Jiaxiang.

He waved his hand, his smile conveying a sense of familiarity, as if he were one of their own.

"It's good that you have this intention, very good indeed! However, Jiaxiang, this amount of money isn't enough to get things done."

Zhang Tiancheng sighed, leaned back in his chair, and tapped his fingers unconsciously on the armrest, as if weighing his options before finally making a decision.

"You are a trusted confidant whom I personally promoted, and I won't hide it from you."

He paused, lowering his voice even further, with the solemnity of sharing a major secret:

"I am working on taking over the position of Director of the General Affairs Department of the Beijing Police Department."

"Right now, we're at the most critical juncture, and we need to smooth things over with everyone. The higher-ups have already given me instructions: the opportunity is right in front of us! But these 'bribing' deals... they're going to cost astronomical sums."

"You need to bribe the higher-ups and appease those lower-ups... You can't get past this hurdle without at least 20,000 to 30,000 silver dollars."

His eyes gleamed with an intense desire for that position.

"That old bastard Liu Si, with all the ill-gotten gains he's accumulated over the years, plus my savings, we've scraped together enough to cover the costs of becoming the head of the general affairs department."

"So, you need to get this done quickly, really quickly!"

Head of General Affairs!

Even with his calm and collected nature, Liu Jiaxiang was still shaken when he heard those four words.

The Director of General Affairs is the head of the five directors of the Capital Police Department. He holds the core power over personnel promotion and funding allocation for the entire department. His position is second only to the Director General, making him the de facto second-in-command of the Capital Police System!

Zhang Tiancheng's ability to manipulate such a high position demonstrates the immense influence and backing he has within the government, far exceeding Liu Jiaxiang's previous estimates.

In a flash, Liu Jiaxiang had already gone through all the pros and cons in his mind.

His face instantly transformed into an incredibly solemn expression, even tinged with an excitement akin to "willing to die for my cause." He abruptly stood up from his chair, gave Zhang Tiancheng another standard salute, and spoke with a resolute and powerful voice:

"Director! Rest assured! I understand! I will do anything, even risk my life, to hinder your important work!"

"Five days! Give me five days!"

He held up five fingers, his eyes sharp as knives.

"Within five days, I will squeeze every last drop of oil out of this old man! I'll clean him completely, leaving him with nothing! I won't let you be delayed by money in the slightest!"

Looking at Liu Jiaxiang's energetic and seemingly super-energetic appearance, and hearing his resolute "five-day" promise, Zhang Tiancheng's smile completely relaxed, and he nodded repeatedly in satisfaction.

"Good! Good! Jiaxiang, I knew you were capable and competent! I have complete confidence in you!"

He stood up, walked around the large desk, and stood in front of Liu Jiaxiang. He patted Liu Jiaxiang on the shoulder forcefully, his tone carrying the promise of a superior.

"Don't worry, once I, Zhang Tiancheng, take the position of head of the general affairs department, I will definitely not mistreat you!"

"This position as deputy chief of the Inner Right Second District Police Station was reserved specifically for you!"

"Thank you for your guidance, Director! I will forever remember your great kindness!"

Liu Jiaxiang immediately straightened his back, his voice carrying a perfectly timed tremor of "excitement," and a blush of "gratitude" rose on his face at just the right moment.

"Rest assured, I will arrange it immediately and personally oversee it to ensure everything goes smoothly! This subordinate takes his leave!"

He saluted again, his movements precise and powerful.

Zhang Tiancheng waved with a big smile.

"Go for it, go for it!"

Liu Jiaxiang maintained a respectful posture, took two steps back, then turned around and left the director's office with steady and quick steps, gently closing the heavy wooden door behind him.