Director Ma dared not protect Zhongchuan at this moment. Investment was important, but his official position was even more important to him. After thinking for a moment, Director Ma continued, "This matter must be handled to that person's satisfaction. I will handle Luo Zhiping's case. As for Zhongchuan... let's just fine him a little..."
After much deliberation, Director Ma presented the plan. Currently, in China, prostitution is mostly dealt with by fines, so he believed the other party wouldn't hold a grudge. As for whether Nakagawa could accept such a punishment, he would leave that to his nephew to worry about; after all, this wasn't the first time they had dealt with such matters.
"Oh, right, report that number you memorized later and check it out, just in case you get scammed..."
After the car drove off, Director Ma reminded his nephew again, saying that these days, getting a fake document only costs a few dozen yuan, and if he were to be fooled, it would be a huge joke.
Not to mention that Deputy Director Xiong and Director Ma were discussing how to handle the aftermath, as soon as they stepped out of the hotel, Peng Fei was surrounded by Xiao Jia and others in the hotel's small conference room. Everyone originally thought that Peng Fei and Zhuang Rui would at least be taken back to the police station to suffer some hardship, but no one expected this outcome.
"Brother Peng, what kind of ID were you holding just now?"
Xiao Jia sidled up to Peng Fei and reached for the ID he had just put back in his pocket. Even a fool could see that the ID played a crucial role in the police officers' dramatic change of expression in public.
"Yeah, Brother Peng, how come you still have a gun? Why is that policeman so afraid of you?"
Another student looked at Peng Fei with admiration. These students from the ivory tower had simpler minds. In their eyes, Peng Fei was putting on a good show of good triumphing over evil. They didn't realize that it was just a compromise of power by one side.
"Go away, go away, don't reach for anything. That gun is fake. I bought it from a street vendor when we passed through Henan. There's no gun there..."
Peng Fei slapped Xiao Jia's hand away. He had been smiling at this brat so much that he dared to take things out of his bag. If it were a stranger, Peng Fei would definitely have broken his hand.
"Don't lie to us. We can't tell the difference between a real gun and a fake gun, but can't the police tell the difference?"
Xiao Jia pursed his lips, thinking that Peng Fei was just fooling him.
"Heh, you don't believe me when I say this? Here, take it and shoot me..."
Peng Fei glared at him, then casually pulled out the dark pistol from his waist and placed it on the table.
"Let me take a look first..."
Before Xiao Jia could reach out, Zhuang Rui snatched the pistol from his hand. He had been wondering about this before; he knew about the identification, but he hadn't heard that Peng Fei was carrying a gun. Could it be that this kid got it through some other means for self-defense?
"Damn, you...you really bought this?"
As soon as Zhuang Rui got his hands on the gun, he sensed something was wrong. He reached out and pulled the trigger, but it wouldn't budge. It turned out to be a black plastic gun.
"Wow, it really is fake, Brother Peng, you're amazing, you're incredible..."
Xiao Jia snatched the gun from Zhuang Rui's hand. Even though he had never seen a real gun before, he could tell the difference between this plastic gun and a real one. Thinking about how Peng Fei had used this gun to scare the police earlier, he immediately gave Peng Fei a thumbs up.
"Hehe, my wife gave birth to a son, so I bought this to be his toy, haha..."
Peng Fei was telling the truth. He saw the gun at a street stall in Henan, and it looked exactly like a real gun. He really wanted to buy it for his son to play with. The reason he was changing clothes and didn't come out for a while was that he went to the room to get the gun, intending to use it to scare people later. He never expected that he would actually have to use it.
At that moment, Deputy Director Xiong had just been held to the head by his own real gun and was still terrified. When Peng Fei held a gun to his head, he didn't have time to tell whether the gun was real or fake. Not to mention that this plastic gun was so well made that it could pass for the real thing, even if you took a wooden gun and painted it black, Director Xiong probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
"You little rascal, you're a father now, can't you be a little more mature..."
Zhuang Rui shook his head helplessly. In fact, if Peng Fei had just produced his ID earlier, none of this would have happened.
"Xiao Peng, your... ID, it's not fake either, is it?"
Dr. Ren has been out of school for several years and has a lot of experience in society. He's not as easily fooled as Xiao Jia. These police officers aren't just sitting around doing nothing. To think they can be fooled by some fake document would be to seriously underestimate the intelligence of the people's police.
"Brother Ren, you mean this certificate? Heh, I got it done in Beijing for a hundred yuan, and it actually works! Next time I go back, I'll get one for all of us, so we can see if anyone dares to mess with us..."
Peng Fei chuckled and talked nonsense, but when he saw Dr. Ren's disbelieving expression, he simply took out the red ID card and handed it to Ren Chunqiang.
"Central Security Bureau?"
When Dr. Ren saw the title in his hand, he was shocked. He flipped through it again and, good heavens, the "Lieutenant Colonel" turned to look at the grinning Peng Fei. Dr. Ren just couldn't associate him with the military.
Peng Fei felt a little embarrassed under Dr. Ren's gaze, scratched his head, and said, "Ahem, the clothes in the photo are available at the photo studio, it'll only cost an extra twenty yuan..."
"Tsk tsk, you're really audacious. If you get caught doing this, you could get several years in prison. No way, let's check out of the room and leave Lintong right now..."
To be honest, Dr. Ren actually believed Peng Fei's words. The main reason was that the certificate was a bit too outrageous. Putting everything else aside, just based on Peng Fei's age, he couldn't possibly be a lieutenant colonel. Although the country is now advocating for younger cadres, according to the military's promotion procedures, a deputy regimental-level cadre must be at least 35 years old.
Dr. Ren was unaware that Peng Fei was already a captain when he left the army. If he hadn't deliberately made a mistake to try and get rid of his uniform, he would probably have been a major. Their unit was different from ordinary field armies; there were no privates there, and the lowest rank was second lieutenant.
Moreover, Dr. Ren was unaware that the Central Security Bureau's organizational structure was even higher than Peng Fei's previous special forces structure. The director, who was in charge of only a few hundred people, held the rank of general. It was not uncommon for someone Peng Fei's age to hold the rank of lieutenant colonel.
"Brother Ren is right. If we don't try to fool people sooner or later, we promise we won't take it out again. Brother Zhuang, how about... we do as Brother Ren says and leave Xi'an first?"
Peng Fei certainly couldn't explain these things to Dr. Ren. Even he himself was confused about the origin of this certificate. If Ouyang Lei hadn't handed it to him personally, Peng Fei probably would have thought it was fake. He was a man who had left the army, so how could he possibly have such a certificate?
Moreover, even with Ouyang Lei's position at headquarters, it would be difficult for him to influence such a special department as the Central Security Bureau. Peng Fei thought that this thing was probably just Ouyang Lei using other connections to get himself a title in the Central Security Bureau, making it easier for him to protect Zhuang Rui, since he had never received a penny of state salary.
Despite Peng Fei's confident tone, he was actually quite unsure of himself. If the document turned out to be fake, he would be making a huge fool of himself. Although Peng Fei wasn't afraid of things escalating to the end, it seemed like he was making a mountain out of a molehill by troubling Ouyang Lei with such a trivial matter.
Seeing the expressions on Peng Fei's and Dr. Ren's faces, Zhuang Rui couldn't help but laugh and said, "Why are you leaving? Didn't you just say you wanted to wait for the results? If we leave now, the arrest warrants will probably be issued by then. We need to stay calm. Hmm, let's not go anywhere today. Let's stay another day and leave Xi'an after we go to Lishan tomorrow..."
Actually, among these people, only he knew what was going on. The certificate was absolutely genuine gold, and even Peng Fei's number and rank were real. The reason Peng Fei hadn't received his salary was because his salary card was in Zhuang Rui's hands. Zhuang Rui knew Peng Fei's personality; if the kid found out the reason, who knew what kind of trouble he would cause.
However, Peng Fei's guess was not wrong. Ouyang Lei did not have the power to handle this matter, but even if Ouyang Lei could not do it, the old man in his family did. As one of the few remaining founding generals in the country, his word was law, and even members of the Politburo Standing Committee had to give him some face.
The fact that Grandpa Ouyang is still alive and well at over ninety years old, and can even take a stroll and bask in the sun, is all thanks to Zhuang Rui. Although he has never told anyone about Zhuang Rui's abilities, it doesn't mean that Grandpa Ouyang doesn't value them. If Zhuang Rui weren't his grandson, the old man would probably have had him placed under house arrest long ago.
The old man sent people to investigate Peng Fei for a long time before deciding to give him this identity. With this certificate and Peng Fei's skills, at least Zhuang Rui could get the strongest support if he encountered trouble in China.
As for Zhuang Rui's frequent trips abroad, the old man is trying to find ways to restrict Zhuang Rui's trips abroad. Of course, even Zhuang Rui is unaware of the old man's intentions.
Chapter 1093 Processing Results
"Brother Zhuang, actually, going to Lishan this afternoon would be fine too..."
Peng Fei was genuinely a little worried.
Zhuang Rui raised an eyebrow upon hearing this and said, "What, scared?"
"What am I afraid of? Brother Zhuang, if you say you're not leaving, then you're not leaving. What can a few junior police officers do to us?"
Provoked by Zhuang Rui, Peng Fei jumped up. This kid was always one to stir up trouble, and if it weren't for Zhuang Rui's safety, who knows what he might have done to that Japanese guy.
"Zhuang Rui, this... isn't a good idea? What if someone finds out? Xiao Peng will be held responsible..."
Dr. Ren was still a little worried. He was a straightforward person and had not yet realized that Zhuang Rui was acting with impunity. The document was genuine, and even if it was reported to the Central Security Bureau, it would still be traceable.
However... Deputy Director Xiong probably doesn't have that kind of authority. At the very least, it would take the top official of the provincial public security bureau to find out anything, and even then, it would only be the authenticity of the documents. As for the files, even the bureau chief probably wouldn't be qualified to look at them.
"Alright, those people ruined our fun. Let's continue soaking in the hot springs..."
Zhuang Rui waved his hand and stood up. After more than a week of traveling, even if his body wasn't tired, he felt mentally exhausted. Soaking in a hot spring was indeed a good way to relax his body and mind, and it could make him feel refreshed.
Dr. Ren shook his head helplessly and followed Zhuang Rui out of the conference room. Zhuang Rui was the leader of this archaeological mission and was only a deputy team leader, responsible for operational tasks. There was nothing he could do if Zhuang Rui didn't want to leave.
When the hotel security guards saw Zhuang Rui and his group return to the hot spring pool, they immediately became alert. They had just been scolded by the hotel's Hong Kong owner. Everyone knows that five-star hotels have prostitutes, but being caught is a very embarrassing thing.
So when they saw these troublemakers going to the hot springs again, the hotel not only turned on their surveillance cameras but also sent two men and two women to patrol the area around the hot spring pool, just in case something else went wrong. The earlier confrontation where the powerful overpowered the local bullies showed that these guests were definitely not to be underestimated; they might very well be young masters from some wealthy family in Beijing. ...
After spending almost an afternoon in the hot spring, the effects of the hot spring were indeed remarkable. The fatigue from more than a week of travel was swept away. After waiting for an entire afternoon without seeing the police return to settle scores, Dr. Ren and the others gradually calmed down.
That evening, Zhuang Rui treated everyone to dinner at the hotel's Western restaurant.
The Western restaurant is located on the top floor of the hotel, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows that offer panoramic views of the ancient city of Xi'an. Standing high up, looking at the brightly lit ancient city under the night sky, one can perfectly blend modernity and history, giving one a sense of having history in one's own hands.
Sitting in a corner of the Western restaurant, listening to a live piano performance, Dr. Ren shook his head and said, "My friend, you've really got people into trouble..."
Zhuang Rui was taken aback for a moment, then laughed: "Senior brother, we were in the wilderness a few days ago, and the conditions were tough, but there was nothing we could do. What did we do wrong to you today? Do you also have that kind of taste? Shall I find you someone to keep you company tonight?"
"Go away, get out of here. I don't have that kind of hobby. If your sister-in-law finds out, she'll be kneeling on a keyboard when she gets home..."
Dr. Ren waved his hand, looked at the knife and fork and the black pepper steak in front of him, and said with a wry smile, "You know archaeology is tough, but after going on this trip with you, who can endure that kind of hardship when going to the field again? Our archaeological budget is very tight. I estimate that all of it together wouldn't even be enough for all the team members to stay in a five-star hotel once. We won't be able to find someone as wealthy as you next time..."
Dr. Ren had followed Professor Meng for many years, experiencing both hardship and comfort. He was saying this to Xiao Jia and his three graduate students. Typical field archaeological work is indeed very arduous, with people almost always living and eating in farmhouses. If the conditions are even worse, they have to sleep in tents.
This was the first time that Xiao Jia and his two students had conducted field archaeology work. Dr. Ren did not want them to think that going out for archaeology was a comfortable thing. It is easy for a person to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. Therefore, he intentionally or unintentionally pointed out that all the expenses for this trip were borne by Zhuang Rui personally.
Of course, as a field expedition by the Institute of Archaeology at Peking University, this expedition was funded, but only a mere six thousand yuan, which probably wouldn't even cover Zhuang Rui's fuel and toll costs along the way.
Dr. Ren's efforts were not in vain. After hearing his words, Xiao Jia and the others lowered their heads thoughtfully.
“Teacher Ren, if Brother Zhuang can endure hardship, we definitely can too…”
After thinking for a while, Xiao Jia raised his head. In the afternoon, he and the others had pestered Zhuang Rui and dug up a lot of stories about him. They learned that he started from scratch, from finding bargains on Taobao to gambling on stones, and became a billionaire. The group had long regarded Zhuang Rui as their idol.
Of course, the few of them didn't know that Zhuang Rui was their future boss, otherwise the harmonious atmosphere at the event would probably have been ruined. Chinese people are different from foreigners; superiors and subordinates are very equal outside of work. But in China, probably no employee would feel comfortable in front of their boss.
"Mr. Zhuang, Mr. Peng... Mr. Peng, I'm sorry to disturb your meal..."
However, the atmosphere of Zhuang Rui and the others' meal was still disrupted. Just as Zhuang Rui and Dr. Ren were discussing tomorrow's itinerary, a voice came over.
"Hmm? Director Xiong, it's alright, please have a seat..."
Zhuang Rui looked up and saw two uniformed police officers standing respectfully in front of him. One was Deputy Chief Xiong, and the other was the policewoman he had met that afternoon.
"No need, thank you Mr. Zhuang. I'm here to inform you and the others about the outcome of what happened this afternoon..."
Upon seeing Zhuang Rui stand up to offer him his seat, Deputy Director Xiong shook his head vigorously, took a small step back cautiously, and became even more respectful.
In the afternoon, Deputy Director Xiong asked a classmate who worked in the provincial department to help check the number on Peng Fei's certificate. Unexpectedly, just three or four minutes later, the classmate called back and said that he did not have enough authority, and that even the director of the department might not be able to find anything, as this involved the work of the National Security Bureau.
Upon receiving the call, Deputy Director Xiong suddenly felt a cramp in his calves. Only now did he truly realize that he and that young man were not on the same level at all. If someone dared to show him their identification, they were not afraid of him checking it at all.
Therefore, Deputy Director Xiong only took a few hours to thoroughly investigate the case of a foreigner suspected of soliciting prostitution at a five-star hotel, and hurriedly reported back to Peng Fei.
As for Director Ma, he didn't even show his face. Director Ma was a shrewd man. He knew that Peng Fei was involved at too high a level. Even if he managed to curry favor with Peng Fei, it wouldn't do him any good. There are countless officials across the country. Who would pay attention to a mere bureau-level cadre when the national leaders are at that level?
If this were a provincial leader or a relative of a leader, Director Ma would definitely provide a full range of services. Of course, Director Ma wouldn't offend Peng Fei and his group, and the case would still be handled according to Peng Fei's instructions. This is also the political wisdom of Chinese officials.
Seeing that Deputy Director Xiong was unwilling to sit, Zhuang Rui did not force him and asked, "How was this matter handled?"
"Mr. Zhuang, these are the statements we took from several of the parties involved. You can take a look at them first..."
Deputy Director Xiong took out a folder and was about to hand it to Zhuang Rui.
"No, please don't. This is an internal matter of your public security system. There's no need to show it to me. I'm just a whistleblower who wants to know the truth and the outcome of the matter..."
Zhuang Rui waved his hand and pushed the transcript back. Actually, this "fuck" wasn't a big deal. Didn't the country change "prostitute" to "fallen woman"? The key was that Nakagawa was blind and provoked him. Otherwise, Zhuang Rui really wouldn't have bothered with this.
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Deputy Director Xiong straightened up, glanced at the record, and said, "Mr. Zhuang, after our investigation of the parties involved, the facts are clear. Those three... those three women had improper relations with the Japanese man Nakagawa and our local history office staff member Luo Zhiping last night and this morning, respectively. Furthermore, Luo Zhiping paid the three women five thousand yuan, which constitutes prostitution..."
"Damn it, this traitor doesn't even mind eating his master's leftovers?"
Peng Fei was furious. It was obvious that Luo Zhiping's expenses would definitely be reimbursed. This kid had taken good care of Nakagawa and didn't forget to seek some benefits for himself.
"Don't speak, let Director Xiong finish explaining the punishment..."
Zhuang Rui glanced at Peng Fei and immediately shut him up.
"Mr. Zhuang, this is how the matter was handled. Because Luo Zhiping, as a state employee, knowingly broke the law, causing extremely negative consequences, we have decided to impose an administrative penalty on him: a fine of 5,000 yuan, 15 days of detention, and six months of re-education through labor..."
Deputy Director Xiong had sensed before that Zhuang Rui was the leader of these people, and now he was even more certain. His attitude towards Zhuang Rui was like that of a child seeing a teacher, extremely respectful.