If you want to die, don't drag me down with you!

The Boss surnamed Huo?

Although the recording did not mention the full name, everyone's immediate reaction was "Huo Jiansheng"!

As for the relationship between Huo Jiansheng and certain leaders in the county government, it was an open secret.

Huo Jiansheng was a "relative" of the former county party secretary, and almost every major project or undertaking in the county featured his presence.

Now that IO Electric was going to build a large factory in Pinghu, Huo Jiansheng naturally did not want to miss out.

He had arranged for people to approach the Pinghu Town Government, attempting to bring the demolition work under his control.

To his surprise, after Xu Yiping was arrested, the new government gave him no such opportunity.

Tianling County had long been regarded by Huo Jiansheng as his private territory!

How could Huo Jiansheng let slip such a "fat piece of meat"? Consequently, he had bribed Hu Junsheng and his associates to orchestrate the "anti-demolition" incident.

The motive was simple!

To exert pressure through the county government and make those minor officials in Pinghu suffer a bit, and then, through a top-down approach, logically secure the demolition rights for Pinghu.

Inside the county magistrate's office.

Huo Jiansheng was drinking tea. After Wei Jian entered the room, his expression darkened.

Huo Jiansheng immediately sensed that something was wrong. "Is there something bothering you? Do you need me to handle it?"

Wei Jian glanced at Huo Jiansheng and said coldly, "President Huo, at such a sensitive time, your appearance in my office is completely inappropriate!"

"County Magistrate Wei, it's just a minor matter. There's no need to be so nervous!"

Wei Jian interrupted Huo Jiansheng ruthlessly.

"Hu Junsheng maliciously assaulted people, and the nature of the crime has been established. Just now, Secretary Du requested the county public security bureau to investigate whether there was someone instigating Hu Junsheng behind the scenes! Why didn't you consider the consequences of your actions?"

"Wasn't today's meeting supposed to reclaim the demolition rights for Pinghu? Why did things change?"

Huo Jiansheng could no longer sit still!

Wei Jian frowned and said sternly, "The Municipal Party Committee's Publicity Department has already sent the reporters back. Pinghu is about to welcome a three-billion-yuan project, which will be followed by large-scale land acquisition and demolition. If negative news were to leak out, wouldn't that be shooting ourselves in the foot?"

"Three billion?"

Huo Jiansheng found it hard to believe!

An even bigger cake.

Wei Jian's gaze fell on Huo Jiansheng's face. "For the sake of the old secretary, I have already helped you quite a bit. Let the matter in Pinghu end here; you should know how to handle it."

"A three-billion-yuan project in Pinghu Town? Is there still a chance? If you can help me..."

Wei Jian waved his hand to stop him from continuing. "There was still hope originally, but after this incident, I suggest you give it up!"

Huo Jiansheng looked at Wei Jian, unwilling to let go. "Didn't Chen Zhihua just cling to Du Chengfeng's coattails? I'll have people give him a warning later..."

Wei Jian sat up straight and slammed his palm heavily on the desk. "Remember that you are a businessman, not a mafia boss. With so many people watching Pinghu right now, if something happens, do you think you can easily wash your hands of it? If you want to court death, do it on your own, but don't drag others down with you!"

Huo Jiansheng said defiantly, "Chen Zhihua is just a dabbler who squeezed out Xu Yiping purely by luck! He's just a section-chief-level cadre; I can deal with him without needing you to worry."

Wei Jian narrowed his eyes, a sneer curling the corner of his mouth. "You don't even know who your opponent is, no wonder you lost so miserably! Was Xu Yiping squeezed out by Chen Zhihua? Ridiculous! The real enemy you have to face is the attached deputy town mayor of Pinghu Town—Tang Ye!"

"Tang Ye? Sounds familiar." Huo Jiansheng found the name somewhat recognizable.

Wei Jian took a deep breath. "The reason IO Electric invested in building a factory in Pinghu Town is because Tang Ye saved the mother-in-law of IO Electric's chairman. Now, the choice to locate the resort in Pinghu Town is also closely related to Tang Ye.

He is the closed-door student of the former deputy secretary of the municipal party committee, Hong Ruilin. Strictly speaking, he is the junior fellow apprentice of the municipal party committee secretary, Zhou Chengwu."

The rumors surrounding Tang Ye's background and connections were becoming increasingly mystical.

Sometimes, when a rumor is repeated often enough, it gradually becomes an established fact.

Huo Jiansheng finally understood why Pinghu's methods in handling matters this time were so tough!

He gritted his teeth and said, "Isn't he just a deputy-section-level cadre? Should I arrange for someone to..."

Wei Jian stood up angrily and scolded, "If you want to die, don't implicate me."

Huo Jiansheng was taken aback. Not expecting Wei Jian to be so cautious, he smiled and said, "Don't be nervous. I'm a legitimate businessman, not a mobster. How could I do anything illegal or disorderly? I was just joking."

Wei Jian said coldly, "It's not funny at all. Don't even think about resorting to underhanded tactics. The city just concluded a campaign against organized crime, taking down Bi Dainian. You probably haven't heard the news yet—Bi Dainian's arrest was also single-handedly orchestrated by Tang Ye."

A look of astonishment appeared in Huo Jiansheng's eyes. "He has such capabilities?"

Wei Jian gave Huo Jiansheng a sharp look. "Keep a low profile recently and stop looking for trouble. After some time, when the storm passes, you can bide your time and move again. For the project in Pinghu Town, three billion is just the appetizer; there will be many more opportunities. He who cannot endure small losses will spoil great plans."

Huo Jiansheng felt stifled inside, but he knew he had to rely on Wei Jian if he wanted any chance of returning to his former lifestyle.

He could only obediently agree.

After Huo Jiansheng left, Wei Jian frowned deeply and let out a silent sigh.

The outcome of this rectification campaign would most likely end in Du Chengfeng's victory.

Who would have thought that he actually managed to snatch the resort project away from Chongjiang County?

The resort project was introduced by Du Chengfeng. Although he himself could share in some of the glory, his weight in the later stages would undoubtedly be reduced to a secondary position.

Regardless of everything else.

The smooth implementation of the resort project was not a bad thing for him, the second-in-command.

Wei Jian suddenly regretted it; he shouldn't have made his relationship with Tang Ye so rigid in the first place!

Thinking of how his future work might be bound hand and foot, Wei Jian felt a profound sense of listlessness.

Inside the county party secretary's office.

Jiao Deyi, the party committee secretary of Zhugou Township, had been waiting for a long time.

Early in the morning, he had seen the "common folk" coming to Pinghu to petition for their rights.

He felt a sense of schadenfreude.

Jiao Deyi was thoroughly displeased!

He had done so much preparatory work, yet IO Electric ended up building its factory in Pinghu.

He was convinced that Pinghu had set up a scheme to steal the fruit of his labor!

People kept saying that the attached deputy town mayor Tang Ye had saved Dou Fanggang's mother-in-law, but how could there be such a coincidence in this world?

Jiao Deyi was dying for Pinghu Town to make a mistake.

It would be best if the demolition met resistance and IO Electric changed its mind!

Today, he was supposed to report to Du Chengfeng on the recommendations for the municipal investment promotion conference.

Every year at the municipal investment promotion conference, various counties had the opportunity to recommend projects to entrepreneurs. Jiao Deyi felt that the food city project he had conceived had great potential; raising two or three hundred million in financing would not be much of a problem.

Du Chengfeng walked into the office with a smile on his face.

Tang Ye was chatting and laughing with him, following closely behind.

Jiao Deyi felt that the atmosphere seemed somewhat wrong.

Catching sight of Jiao Deyi, Du Chengfeng smiled and said, "Sorry to have kept you waiting!"

Tang Ye took the initiative to greet Jiao Deyi, "Secretary Jiao, hello."

Jiao Deyi smiled faintly. "I heard the demolition work for IO Electric encountered obstacles. Ah, grassroots work is indeed complicated. Little Tang, your investment promotion skills are impressive, but when it comes to dealing with the common people, you still lack a bit of experience."

Tang Ye was slightly taken aback.

He thought to himself, why did Jiao Deyi's words carry such hidden thorns?

Upon second thought, however, he understood.

Jiao Deyi had always harbored resentment regarding the IO Electric project!

How could Du Chengfeng fail to see through Jiao Deyi's thoughts?

Jiao Deyi did not know that Tang Ye had already weathered the storm, which was why he was secretly trying to step on Tang Ye.