Forced to marry a disabled man in the countryside? I'll repay you tenfold!

Vice Minister Zheng said sternly, "Don't speak carelessly!"

This is a military family settlement, but it is also a national territory.

The golden pheasant is a nationally protected rare animal, with only a few hundred remaining nationwide, and is on the verge of extinction. After investigation, the Forestry Bureau determined that this area is the most suitable for establishing a conservation site, which is a major undertaking that benefits the country and its people.

Protecting rare animals is the duty of every citizen, and even more so, the honor of our military region. We cannot let our personal interests interfere with the important affairs of the nation. You are still young; you should think more about how to contribute to the country, not just focus on this piece of land all day long.

Once this issue rises from a personal perspective to a national level, everything else must give way to it.

Su Wanqing was somewhat surprised. The national protection law hadn't been issued yet, and the name of the nationally protected animal hadn't been established. It was quite impressive that Director Liu could clear out this land so quickly.

Wang Lili and Chen Yuchun watched in shock as Vice Minister Zheng shook hands with Director Liu of the Forestry Bureau. Wang Lili was even more confused: "They're just a few broken chickens! What's so rare about them? Isn't there something wrong with them?"

Chen Yuchun covered Wang Lili's mouth.

Director Liu even said, "Oh, thank you so much for your support of our work!"

Vice Minister Zheng said, "It is our duty and honor to protect rare animals."

Director Liu then handed all the relevant paperwork to Su Wanqing.

Su Wanqing looked back at the locked door and realized that Zhou Yanshen probably hadn't come back today—he'd been missing for two days, and Uncle Ding must have gone out too.

She came to her senses and took the things. Director Liu then had several large signs that read "Red-bellied Pheasant Reserve, Do Not Approach" erected nearby. After exchanging a few more words with Su Wanqing, he quickly left.

Vice Minister Zheng dismissed his subordinates, saying, "You all need to tell the people in the military region that they're raising rare red-bellied pheasants here. Don't even think about stealing them or scaring them to death. There are only a few hundred of these in the whole country. If any of you kill even one, your political career is over. I'm not joking!"

Everyone was startled.

The middle-aged women watching the play were stunned, and then they understood.

"So this is where they keep those protected animals. What do they look like? Are they that precious?"

"Tsk tsk, this is really something, this place has become a protected area. What if it scares the chickens to death? That would be terrible."

In an instant, he took several steps back.

Vice Minister Zheng waved his hand at Chen Yuchun and Wang Lili again: "Alright, you can go back now. I know you wanted this land before, but it has been requisitioned by the higher-ups, so don't even think about it."

"We'll find another piece of land in the military region later. Our military region is so big, where can't we get it? Why do you have to want this one? And stop causing trouble in front of Comrade Su's house. Everyone else, hurry up and disperse, go home."

He wasn't just making things up. The area is huge, with military schools and factories. You could say that 100,000 people living in the surrounding area are all military-related personnel.

These days, everything is done in clusters. For example, to the west is the railway bureau, next to which are railway schools, railway hospitals, railway shops, and railway residential areas; to the east are the oil bureau and oil schools...

Chen Yuchun didn't have much interest in this piece of land—Uncle Zheng had said that if this piece was gone, he would give her another one. Since he was giving it back, she wouldn't owe Wang Lili anything.

But Wang Lili was different. Her family had their eyes on this place for a long time, and she hadn't even gone to work at the supply and marketing cooperative. She was just waiting to open a steamed bun shop here.

The hospital entrance is just a few dozen meters away; it's definitely the best location. Most importantly, her family is still crammed into a tenement building, at the same level as a regimental commander!

She snorted, "Uncle Zheng, since you're here, I'm going to report this family and Commander Li for abusing their power! My father is a deputy division commander, but we're still treated like regimental commanders, crammed into that dilapidated tenement building, without even a courtyard."

We reported this before, and Division Commander Li said there were no houses available for division commanders and told us to wait. Now that houses have finally become available, before it's even our turn, they've given them to this regimental commander's family. What kind of logic is this?

Everyone, please be the judge. Is this how things are done?

"No matter what, even if they're of the same rank, they still have to wait in line, right? Why can a regimental commander like him live here, while my family has so many members, and my dad has been promoted to deputy division commander for half a year, and it's still not our turn?"

Vice Minister Zheng looked troubled: "Lili, it's no use talking to me about this. I'm not in charge of housing allocation. Commander Li is usually very fair, and I don't think he would do such a thing."

Even if you really have any opinions, you should go and raise them with your superiors. If you say it here in public, and someone has unspeakable difficulties or special reasons, your words could cause misunderstandings, and the impact and losses on Comrade Zhou Yanshen's family afterward would be irreparable. Therefore, I suggest you go and talk to your superiors privately.”

The middle-aged women around, who were about to leave, came back.

Some people who had eaten and were taking a walk also gathered around, and upon hearing what had just happened, they immediately looked over with gossip in their eyes.

"Although Lili is a bit of a chatterbox, what she says makes sense."

"I think Commander Li has made a mistake this time. No matter what, it's not right for a regimental commander to stay here."

"I think this regimental commander named Zhou Yanshen might have actually given Commander Li some benefits, otherwise Commander Li wouldn't have done this."

Whispers and discussions could be heard from the surrounding area.

Wang Lili looked at Su Wanqing smugly.

She knew, of course, that talking to Uncle Zheng was pointless, but she was determined to ruin his reputation first.

Once this rumor gets out, the entire family compound will blame Commander Li and Zhou Yanshen, and they will definitely have to move out under pressure.

Once they move out, won't the house still be yours? Once the house is yours, you can just add a few more shops around it, it'll be the same.

Chen Yuchun frowned. Not wanting to direct all the blame at Zhou Yanshen, she immediately coughed.

"I don't think this matter has much to do with Comrade Zhou Yanshen. What kind of ability could a regimental commander have? It probably depends on Division Commander Li, who allocated the housing; perhaps there are some special reasons. Besides, it seems that Zhou Yanshen's wife from the countryside didn't go through any connections to come to the city. Isn't that against the rules? If everyone from the countryside rushed to the city without using connections, and everyone knew the city was better, wouldn't that create chaos?"

"I think so too, but this is a matter for Division Commander Li who allocated the housing, and it has nothing to do with Regiment Commander Zhou Yanshen, right?"

"Why didn't you submit a report for accompanying your spouse to the military? Could it be that you didn't get a marriage certificate? Or are you being denied marriage permission by the authorities?"

"Doesn't that mean this woman didn't pass the higher-ups' review? That she's not clean?"