Nominal: The Handong Game, the Energy System's Counterattack

Upon hearing from Qin Jinhui that the former director of the Jingzhou Public Security Bureau had sent an undercover agent to the Shanshui Manor, Zhou Chuyi became interested.

"You're not going to just withdraw those people, are you?" Zhou Chuyi asked anxiously. They couldn't be withdrawn.

"Nonsense," Qin Jinhui said. "Didn't you tell me last time that this Shanshui Group is no ordinary company, and there will be a lot of exciting developments to come?"

"Everyone's already inside, wouldn't it be a waste of effort to evacuate them?"

"I asked Wang Guofeng to tell them that the mission remains the same, and they should contact me directly from now on."

"Just an hour and a half ago, the people inside gave me a report and even sent me a video."

"Look, isn't the Shanshui Manor lively tonight?" Qin Jinhui took out his phone and handed it to Zhou Chuyi.

Zhou Chuyi took the phone and saw a video playing.

Upon looking at it, Zhou Chuyi laughed. The video was probably taken secretly, but it was very clear.

The person who filmed the video must have been at the scene.

It was in a luxurious private room, where our Director Qi and Gao Xiaoqin, along with a group of people, were urging Monkey to drink, just like watching TV.

"This undercover agent is really well-infiltrated; how did they manage to film this?"

Zhou Chuyi glanced at it and handed the phone back.

"It seems like there's a manager, a few security guards, and waiters or something," Qin Jinhui said casually.

"Is this Hou Liangping the son-in-law of the Zhong family that you arranged in Yanjing?" Qin Jinhui asked, biting his lip.

"What do you mean by 'doing it'? I was just following the rules," Zhou Chuyi told Qin Jinhui to be careful with his words.

"This Hou Liangping, relying on the Zhong family's lawlessness, completely disregards the rules. I wonder what kind of trouble he'll cause here?"

"By the way, have you investigated why Zhao Donglai sent these people undercover?"

"I asked, but I don't believe what Zhao Donglai said." Qin Jinhui shook his head.

He told Zhou Chuyi that after learning about this, he went to see the former bureau chief, Zhao Donglai.

According to Zhao Donglai, Shanshui Group might be a den of organized crime, which is why he arranged for someone to go undercover.

However, Qin Jinhui did not believe this explanation at all.

According to his investigation, the shooting range at Shanshui Manor could only be set up with the approval of the provincial government, and Zhao Donglai also gave his consent.

You agree to let someone else open a shooting range on top of a criminal den? That's utterly absurd.

Zhou Chuyi agreed with Qin Jinhui's assessment, indicating that he probably knew some of the inside story.

Under Qin Jinhui's surprised gaze, Zhou Chuyi briefly explained the entanglement between the so-called "Handa Bang" and "Secretary Bang" in Handong.

"You mean, this Shanshui Manor is a stronghold of the Han Da Bang, and Zhao Donglai sent people in not because of any case."

"They probably want to get some dirt on these people so they can use it at a crucial moment."

"Is Li Dakang involved in this?" Qin Jinhui asked with a hint of gossip after hearing Zhou Chuyi's words.

"It's hard to say whether Li Dakang gave the order or not," Zhou Chuyi said with a smile and shook his head. "Even if he did give the order, it might have been just a verbal instruction."

He knew that Zhao Donglai himself must also know that there was absolutely no evidence to implicate Li Dakang.

Leaving aside Li Dakang, this Secretary Li might still have some consideration for personal relationships.

If Zhao Donglai were to say inside that Li Dakang instructed him to do these things, and there is no substantial evidence, he would be charged with another crime.

"That monkey, just a deputy director, is making quite a scene at the Shanshui Manor tonight."

Having grasped the general situation, Qin Jinhui raised his phone.

"Hehe, that's not surprising," Zhou Chuyi said. "Sha Ruijin, the provincial party secretary of Handong, went to the provincial procuratorate to oversee the case and appointed Hou Liangping to handle it."

"Today they interrogated Cai Chenggong, who is a key figure in the Dafeng Factory case and was the former owner of Dafeng Factory."

"This Dafeng Factory has some dirty dealings with the Shanshui Group, and it also involves the fugitive deputy mayor Ding Yizhen."

"This Ding Yizhen has an ambiguous relationship with people like Qi Tongwei and Gao Xiaoqin."

"Hou Liangping's trial uncovered some things."

"Qi Tongwei is the director of the provincial public security department, so he must have his own information channels."

"As soon as Hou Liangping interrogated him, he found out."

"The purpose of the welcome banquet was to probe Hou Liangping's intentions. The banquet was a pretext; the real goal was to get to the bottom of things."

"In places like Shanshui Manor, the conversations at the dinner table are all about trying to get information out of each other."

"If Hou Liangping were young and hot-blooded and didn't keep his mouth shut, he could have gotten Qi Tongwei to figure out most of what was going on in his stomach over a single meal."

"However, this monkey is quite capable; he won't fall for Qi Tongwei and his group's verbal tricks."

Zhou Chuyi tapped his fingers on the table.

The scene from the drama, at the Mountain and Water Manor, flashed through his mind—Gao Xiaoqin singing "The Battle of Wits," and Hou Liangping drinking while dealing with Qi Tongwei.

On the surface, everyone seemed to be having a good time, but in reality, everyone had their own agenda.

In the original play, that scene even included a traditional opera performance at the very end.

Now, with several more spies left behind by Zhao Donglai in the Shanshui Manor, the battle of wits has become even more complex.

From Zhou Chuyi, Qin Jinhui roughly learned about the background of Shanshui Manor.

Zhao Ruilong, the son of the former secretary of the Handong Provincial Party Committee, is a shareholder behind the scenes.

Before Zhao Lichun left, it was a place where cadres from all over Handong often gathered.

Although it has become somewhat restrained, it remains an important venue for activities of the Han Dabang.

"Ha, Qi Tongwei, Director Qi and his entourage are feasting and drinking at Shanshui Manor tonight, openly violating the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation."

"Aren't you leaders going to investigate this at all?"

Qin Jinhui pursed his lips and looked at Zhou Chuyi with disdain.

He still prefers to be straightforward and doesn't like the people from Handong.

"Damn, you mean me?" Zhou Chuyi pointed at himself.

"You're the police chief, and you obtained this intelligence on your own turf. Why didn't you lead your men in and arrest these people?"

Qin Jinhui picked up a bottle of beer, bit off the cap, and said, "I'm new to Handong, I don't know anyone here, and I haven't even settled into my seat yet."

"The Mountain and Water Manor looks filthy, but if I rush in to arrest someone now? Who would I arrest?"

"Arrest a group of law enforcement officials for eating and drinking together? Do you believe that the moment I arrest them, someone will accuse me of abusing my power?"

"You're not stupid," Zhou Chuyi chuckled. "Then why did you say I didn't care? How long have I been in Handong?"

"Besides, I'm just a vice governor, not a member of the disciplinary committee. How can I possibly manage things?"

"It's not that I don't care about this kind of thing, it's just that it's not my place to get involved."

"You're a member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee, so even if you don't want to, you have the right to have someone else take care of it, right?" Qin Jinhui asked.

"Then I'll instruct you to arrest all these people now. Are you going?" Zhou Chuyi looked at Qin Jinhui with disdain.

"That won't do. You should give instructions to the provincial department, and then the provincial department can transfer the case to me."

"Or, you can tell the Jingzhou Municipal Party Committee about this and ask them for instructions before I can take any action."

Qin Jinhui was no fool, of course, and responded with a smile.

In short, Zhou Chuyi cannot bypass his level and give him direct instructions.