The car was small, so Uncle De didn't try to hide it from Zhuang Rui and the others. He took out his phone and made a call, explaining the whole story and why the Yan family's son had started the trouble. He knew that his old friend didn't need to give the Yan family any face.
"Okay, okay, I'll wait for your call..."
After hanging up the phone, Uncle De said to Zhuang Rui, "It's alright. Old Qi is from Lin'an and has a good relationship with the local government. He'll give him a heads-up, and we can leave..."
"Hehe, Uncle De, it's all thanks to your influence that this matter is resolved..."
Zhuang Rui chuckled and flattered Uncle De.
"Get out of my way. If you bring that old man out, even the mayor of Lin'an, Shiji, will be coming. Don't embarrass me..."
Uncle De gave Zhuang Rui a disapproving look, but he was still quite satisfied with his disciple. From beginning to end, Zhuang Rui never revealed his identity or background, which was the proper demeanor of a scion of a noble family.
People like Yan Kai, who come out and shout about who their grandfather is, will only be seen as ill-mannered and lacking in substance.
Indeed, this is the case. Veteran third-generation princelings like Ouyang Jun and Song Jun always keep a low profile. They have no need or desire to flaunt their status. They possess their own refinement and pride. If they were to say something as rude as Yan Kai, it would only bring shame to the Song and Ouyang families behind them.
Zhuang Rui is slowly coming to this realization as well. However, Song Jun and his men look down on these things and people from the bottom of their hearts, while Zhuang Rui is tolerant. It's like seeing a cool beggar smoking on the street; ordinary people would be tolerant of him. Zhuang Rui is the same. In his eyes, Yan Kai is just a pitiful beggar.
Of course, Young Master Yan was not aware of this. Since his grandfather retired, there were no people in the family in politics anymore, which meant that the family had declined. Originally, the old man was still a powerful figure, but with the successive changes of officials, the influence of the old man Yan in Zhonghai has become smaller and smaller.
So, Yan Dashao's constant harping about his grandfather's behavior has led many to laugh at him behind his back. But Yan Kai, who has an extremely high opinion of himself, probably thinks they are envious of him.
The town's police station wasn't far. Zhuang Rui followed the two cars in front of him, and after only five or six minutes, he drove into a courtyard. If it weren't for the sign hanging at the gate, Zhuang Rui would have thought he had entered someone's house.
The town is quite safe, so the police station is not very big. Four cars parked in the yard and immediately filled it up.
Zhuang Rui looked up and saw that the police station was a two-story building with two rooms on each side of the ground floor. There were signs for interrogation rooms on the doors. It was lunchtime, and there were not many people going in or out.
"Xuanbing, don't get out of the car..."
Zhuang Rui gave his instructions, got out of the car, and Peng Fei followed him out. The two of them followed Lao Fan into an office. It was fortunate that Lao Fan was sensible; if he had taken Zhuang Rui to an interrogation room, Zhuang Rui would have definitely turned hostile on the spot. ...
Today, Chief Jiang of the police station was on duty. He heard a car outside and went out to take a look. He found that the seven or eight people that Deputy Chief Fan had taken out earlier were all listless, and some of them were even limping. He couldn't help but wonder if the soldiers had been robbed by bandits.
"Old Fan, what's going on?"
Director Jiang knew what Lao Fan had gone out to do, and he also knew that it was something that the bureau leaders had ordered. However, it had nothing to do with the work of the station. If the two of them hadn't gotten along so well, Director Jiang would have already lost his temper over this unauthorized trip to set up a checkpoint.
"Oh, Chief Jiang, I was just about to report to you. It's like this, our men were a bit impolite during the enforcement process and got hit by those two. What do you think about this..."
Old Fan was worried about not being able to get away, but as soon as he saw Director Jiang, he quickly reported the matter in detail. Of course, he didn't mention a word about his suspicion that Zhuang Rui had a powerful background.
"They've gone too far! They're lawless! They even dare to hit law enforcement officers?"
Upon hearing this, Director Jiang flew into a rage and shouted loudly. However, as soon as he finished speaking, he saw Zhuang Rui and Peng Fei driving a Hummer and a BMW. Director Jiang was not an ignorant person; at the very least, he knew that these two "horses" were much more expensive than the horses used for farming.
"Okay, Lao Fan, we can't condone violent resistance to law enforcement, but we also need to handle it carefully. First, let's review whether we violated any rules or regulations during the law enforcement process. Alright, I have some other things to attend to, you handle this..."
That's why Director Jiang is considered to be in a proper position; his competence is clearly far superior to Lao Fan's.
Chapter 595 Reporting a False Case
Qi Jingyuan is 65 years old this year, but he looks like he is in his early fifties. He is very young. The Qi Group has grown from a small handicraft workshop to a well-known enterprise with nearly 10,000 employees at home and abroad. All of this was built by Qi Jingyuan.
Just like in that old skit performed by Aunt Zhao, once a person has solved their material problems, they need to pursue spiritual things. In recent years, Qi Jingyuan has become obsessed with collecting, especially jade and other precious stones. If he sets his sights on something, he will definitely buy it.
However, Qi Jingyuan was only a latecomer to the antique circle, and his skills were not very proficient. He made countless mistakes and paid tuition fees. Later, through an introduction, he met Uncle De, a miscellaneous expert in Zhonghai, which reduced the number of times he bought fakes. Over the years, Qi Jingyuan and Uncle De have maintained a good relationship.
Besides, Lao Ma just helped his daughter buy an item in Beijing a few days ago. That's all thanks to others. When someone asks for a favor, you have to help them.
So after receiving Uncle De's call, Qi Jingyuan immediately called a friend in Lin'an to explain the situation. However, he thought it best to have his daughter make the trip, as it would show how much he valued the matter.
"Qi Zhu, your Uncle Ma has some business in Changhua. I can't leave right now, so could you go there? Okay, first go see Old Yang from the Political and Legal Affairs Commission; I've already called him..."
After clarifying the situation, Qi Zhu immediately drove off. It would take her nearly an hour to get from her place to Changhua. ...
"Damn it, it's such a waste of your surname to be Jiang. Why not Hu? You're a real old fox..."
Old Fan originally wanted to divert attention from others, but Director Jiang defused the situation with just a few words. Watching Director Jiang walk away with his magnetized cup, Old Fan stood there feeling extremely frustrated.
Turning back into the room, Lao Fan was even more conflicted. It turned out that Zhuang Rui and Peng Fei were not polite at all. They took tea leaves from the table and brewed tea for themselves. As they sipped the tea, Lao Fan wondered, "Is this still a police station?"
Now that things had come to this, Lao Fan was in a bind and had no choice but to follow the rules. He opened the notebook on his desk and said to Peng Fei, "Take a statement. Your name, age, place of origin, occupation..."
"Peng Fei, 25, unemployed..."
Peng Fei uttered six words decisively, then closed his mouth tightly, refusing to say another word.
The veins on Lao Fan's forehead throbbed with anger, and he wanted to slam his fist on the table, but he held back in the end. He then looked at Zhuang Rui and asked the same question.
"What did that person accuse us of? Intentional assault? I didn't lay a hand on him at all, so you can't take any charges against me when you're taking his statement, can you?"
Zhuang Rui took a sip of steaming tea and said slowly and deliberately that he was unwilling to give a statement here, because the statement would eventually require the person to put their fingerprint and sign it. Zhuang Rui had seen this kind of thing at Liu Chuan's father's place, which would be equivalent to a criminal record, and Zhuang Rui could not afford to lose face like that.
"The person who reported the crime said it was at your instruction, so you also need to give a statement..."
Old Fan has been dealing with criminals for years, so he reacts very quickly to these issues. As soon as Zhuang Rui finished speaking, he found an excuse. Old Fan has come to terms with it now. If he follows the procedures and something goes wrong, he won't be blamed.
"Look, he's an adult with his own thoughts. You believe Young Master Yan just because he said I ordered him to do it? Show me Young Master Yan's statement. If he really said that, I'll sue him for defamation!"
Zhuang Rui's tough stance left Lao Fan somewhat at a loss. This man wouldn't budge from being soft, and Lao Fan didn't dare to use any forceful methods. He had been in the police force for over 10 years and this was the first time he had encountered someone like this.
Moreover, Zhuang Rui's words struck a nerve with Lao Fan. Where could he find Yan Kai's police report? After receiving the call from the bureau leader, Lao Fan immediately dragged the man out for drinks, completely forgetting about taking a statement.
Such things are actually quite common. Sometimes unexpected events happen, and you can just come back and make up for it. But now that Zhuang Rui is picking a fight, Lao Fan really has no choice. He can't exactly call Yan Kai in to take a statement now, can he?
Yan Kai? He's busy right now. He was in the office of the joint defense team members when he suddenly received a call from his uncle, and he's busy talking on the phone right now.
In the Yan family, besides the old man not doting on him, Yan Kai's uncle is the most notorious. He has never shown Yan Kai any respect, and the Yan family is now supported by Lan Hai Bei's company. Therefore, besides the old man, Yan Kai's uncle is the only other person he fears.
"At the police station? What happened? You've been arrested?"
When Lan Haibei heard that Yan Kai was at the police station, she broke out in a cold sweat. Could it be that this kid was too arrogant and had his two bodyguards hurt someone? Thinking of this, President Lan regretted hiring bodyguards for Yan Kai.
"Hey, Uncle, you underestimate me! Who dares to arrest me? This is my friend's territory. I took those guys who tried to take my room to the police station..."
Yan Kai rarely showed off in front of his uncle, so he started bragging on the phone that his so-called friend was just the son of a deputy director-level official in Zhonghai. His hometown was Lin'an, and he had some influence in the area, but his influence only extended to the level of a division chief.
"Don't be silly, I'm coming right away..."
When Lan Haibei heard that Yan Kai had hired someone to frame others and that she herself hadn't done anything wrong, she felt slightly relieved. However, remembering Lao Cao's words, it seemed the other party also had some influence. After hanging up the phone, she immediately asked the driver for directions, and the car headed towards the police station. ...
"Bang! Behave yourself and look where you are! Stop trying to talk your way out of this; the defendant is still in the hospital..."
Old Fan could no longer contain his anger. He slammed his right hand on the table. This person in front of him was too frustrating. He had been talking to him for a long time, but the man was completely unresponsive and even questioned the fairness of his law enforcement.
Old Fan was already feeling a bit guilty. It was obvious to anyone that this was a scheme orchestrated by that young master Yan. But since things had come to this point, Old Fan had no other choice but to try and get Zhuang Rui to tell him what to say, and then report it to the higher-ups. What they did next was none of his business.
"Everything requires evidence. Maybe they were hit by a car and were hospitalized. What does that have to do with us? The law now presumes innocence. What kind of attitude is this...?"
Zhuang Rui wasn't in a hurry at all. He was waiting for Uncle De's call. He would deal with that young master Yan slowly after he left this place.
"Old Fan, come out here for a second..."
Just as Lao Fan was wondering what to do, Director Jiang appeared at the door, nodded kindly to Zhuang Rui and the other man, and then called Lao Fan out.
"Commander Jiang, what's the matter?"
Old Fan was a little confused.
"What's wrong? I'd like to ask you what happened. Secretary Xie called personally to ask about this. What exactly did you do?"
Jiang entered the office, closed the door tightly, and looked at Lao Fan. The smile he had shown when facing Zhuang Rui and the others was completely gone, and he practically shouted these words.
"Secretary Xie...? Which Secretary Xie?"
Old Fan was a bit dumbfounded. There was no such person as Secretary Xie in the bureau.
"And which Secretary Xie is this? The one from the Political and Legal Affairs Commission? He just called and asked directly if our work attitude was too rough. He even asked if there was an elderly man surnamed Ma among the people we brought in. Old Fan, you're usually quite steady, why are you acting so recklessly this time?"
Jiang had just been thoroughly reprimanded by Secretary Xie, which left a bad impression on Secretary Xie. Why should he take the blame for Lao Fan's trouble? Jiang wished he could drag Lao Fan to Secretary Xie and explain things properly.
"Secretary Xie of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission?"
Old Fan finally came to his senses. Damn it, this was their bureau chief's direct superior, several ranks below him, and the call was made even before the bureau chief, which meant the matter was very serious.
Remembering how he had slammed his fist on the table at Zhuang Rui earlier, Lao Fan's legs started trembling. He had endured it for so long, always being gentle and kind, so why couldn't he hold back at the last moment? Lao Fan wanted to slap himself twice.
"Tell me, how do you plan to resolve this?"
The incident has already happened. Although Chief Jiang is innocent, and his subordinates went on a private mission to curry favor with their superior, he still has some sense of responsibility. The most important thing now is to resolve this matter properly and give Secretary Xie a satisfactory explanation.
Old Fan gave a wry smile. He had originally thought it was a good opportunity to curry favor with his superior, but it turned out he had accidentally knocked a tiger's head. He said, "Director Jiang, you...you make the decision. I...I'm a little confused..."
"Damn it, why didn't you think of letting me make the decisions when there were good things happening?"
Jiang cursed inwardly, but if this matter was handled well, it might change Secretary Xie's impression of him. A bad thing might turn into a good thing.
"Here's the plan: immediately have someone detain Yan Kai, then personally go to the hospital and get the medical reports for those two people. Regardless of whether they were injured or not, get the report for the one without injuries. Then we'll accuse Yan Kai of filing a false police report..."
Chief Jiang was quick-witted; in just a minute or two, he came up with an idea. In this way, it would be perfectly logical for the victim to file a false report and for the police to respond.
Can't the police tell if a report is false? Of course they can! Try calling 119 then. Regardless of whether it's real or false, if you're nearby, you'll hear the fire alarm within 10 minutes.
"Hurry up and go, what are you waiting for?"
Seeing that Lao Fan was still standing there, Jiang urged him on.
After hearing Director Jiang's words, Old Fan stammered, "Director Jiang, this man was sent down by Director Liu..."
Chapter 596 Smoothing Things Over
"Old Fan, if you're still going to listen to Director Liu, then I can't help you with this. Is Director Liu more powerful, or Secretary Xie? You should think it over carefully. If you don't agree with my approach, I'll have to report this matter to the organization as it is..."
After hearing Lao Fan's words, Director Jiang said with a hint of disappointment, "I've already helped you a lot, at least I've taken half the blame for you, and you're still having trouble?"
However, Director Jiang was also trying to save himself. As the head of the institute, he had an unshirkable responsibility for the incident. But if the institute followed his method, it could completely absolve itself of responsibility. If Lao Fan disagreed, then he would have to sacrifice him. Better to die for a friend than for himself.
Moreover, the deputy director in the bureau is not on my side. Otherwise, he wouldn't have asked Lao Fan to handle this matter without informing me first. There's no need to give him face. I might even make things difficult for him in front of Secretary Xie.
Old Fan was now in a dilemma. If Director Jiang really reported this matter to higher authorities, his responsibility would be enormous. Just as Jiang said, there are two hurdles between the deputy director and the secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission. It's obvious who has the greater responsibility.
"Jiang...Director Jiang, let's do as you say..."
After much deliberation, Lao Fan felt he should listen to the station chief. Otherwise, if his unauthorized dispatches and his secret plot to frame Zhuang Rui were exposed, he might be skinned alive.
"Okay, then you go and make the arrangements..."
Director Jiang breathed a sigh of relief and a smile appeared on his face.