Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 434 Cession of Territory and Payment of Indemnities! Unequal Treaties! (Bonus chapter for Ice Cream Boss)
Saying that a subject should die for his lord's humiliation is a bit of an exaggeration, but Li Fu still felt a surge of resentment as he watched this private entrepreneur stare directly at his old leader without any regard for propriety.

You're so arrogant!

The head of the investigation team said in a deep voice, "Mr. Lu, this is the Anti-Monopoly Bureau. We are conducting a normal hearing procedure. It would be best not to act impulsively."

Boss Lu laughed and said, "I take responsibility for what I say, and you, Director Li, also need to take responsibility for what you say."

"Of course!"

Li Fu cursed Zhu Dake inwardly for being such a stupid pig, for giving him such a ridiculous and foolish suggestion, which Lu Kuan seized upon to criticize him and ruin the excellent situation.

He seemed to have realized that this self-proclaimed literary critic, who called himself the people's literary critic, was all bluster and no substance, and was nothing more than an incompetent academic troll.

Li Fu, unwilling to let the topic be dragged on, gestured to his subordinate to hand over a second document.

Whether or not it constitutes an abuse of market dominance is a matter that, even though it is clearly defined in the law, a leader in a vertical industry like Wenjie Holdings still needs to carefully consider, as there is a certain degree of discretion involved.

But the next step is different. This involves the Bank of China presenting concrete evidence and questions based on the whistleblower's report and a careful audit.

It's written in black and white, and there's no denying it.

"To avoid causing intense emotional conflict on site, we will temporarily set aside the issue of the monopoly and abuse of market dominance in the boundary system."

Seemingly realizing that his words might have made him seem somewhat inexperienced, he turned to the staff and said, "Please record the situation truthfully. This issue is still unclear if we don't discuss it further. We can postpone it."

"it is good."

Lu Kuan remained calm as he watched his performance, talking to himself like a clown, though he was also eager to move on to the next segment.

The debate over monopolies is just a lot of pointless arguing, and no one can really get to the bottom of it. Let's record the statements made by both sides during the hearing and let the Ministry of Commerce, as the judge, weigh them themselves.

Clearly, the focus of this controversy lies in the second issue.

This is a situation that could potentially constitute an economic crime, and it's also the biggest asset that Li Fu's investigation team has relied on so far.

We are simply conducting a normal review based on the reported materials. Even if it is ultimately found that you, Wen Jie, are innocent, we are merely fulfilling our duties as state employees.

As for who instigated the writing of this whistleblower report, whether it was Wang Dajun or Wang Xiaolei, it has nothing to do with Li Fu, let alone the leaders.

"Ahem..." Li Fu coughed lightly to remind everyone to pay attention. Ma Yun, Deng Wendi, and the others perked up until the most important part of the scene was about to begin.

"Before presenting our audit results, I would like to ask Mr. Lu and Mr. Zhuang a few questions."

"Please."

Li Fu casually asked, "Mr. Lu, before you merged Blog.com, Weibo, and your other internet companies into Wenjie, did you have any connection with this company?"

"No, Mr. Zhuang and I are childhood friends, that's all."

"But judging from the operation over the years, whether it was the blog network in the past or the microblog now, it has always been the vanguard for Wenjie's works and artists, and it can almost be said to be integrated into one."

Lu Kuan nodded: "This is normal business cooperation. Our two companies are strategic partners, otherwise we wouldn't be joining forces now."

Li Fu said in a deep voice, "If that's the case, why would President Zhuang be willing to give up shares in several Zhijie companies in exchange for a 15% stake in Wenjie? That seems a bit unreasonable, doesn't it?"

Zhuang Xu raised his hand in a gesture of respect, smiling gently: "What's unreasonable about it? I don't actually want this 15% either, but it's a private agreement, so it shouldn't be related to this matter, right?"

“Yes, that’s right.” Li Fu nodded heavily. “Moderator, please allow one of the working group’s witnesses, who is also the selfless person who provided us with the evidence, to speak.”

"can."

Apart from Lu Kuan and Zhuang and Dong, all the other Wenjie employees present at the hearing looked up and glared hatefully at the traitors who were about to push open the door!
Having just experienced the incredibly heart-warming eighth anniversary celebration, and now sharing the burden of this national tragedy, not to mention the families of employees from other provinces and cities who were saved because of the celebration.

Who is so utterly heartless as to frame the company and Boss Lu?

The staff member asked, "Now, let's verify your identity."

Wang Xing, born in 1979, is from Longyan, Fujian Province, and is currently the Vice President of Zhijie Group.

"Correct."

"Okay, please begin your hearing and statement."

shock!
Everyone stared in disbelief at the slightly thinning hair of the senior executive of Zhijie, an industry leader who had been deeply involved in Blogcn and Weibo for five years, and one of the masterminds who single-handedly built the blog empire!

The traitor wasn't Jiang Beichun?
The company has been buzzing with rumors this week that Jiang Beichun harbors resentment towards the big boss because he was "caught red-handed" by Director Liu before the Lunar New Year, who dealt a heavy blow to some flies in the Focus Media system.

I admire you, Boss Lu, because you are the creator of a business empire, the true master and dictator.

But you expect me to submit to your girlfriend?

No.

What gives her, a female celebrity, the right to lead a company?

It's a pity that Jiang Beichun has been bearing the brunt of criticism for a week, and today it was Wang Xing who appeared at the scene?
You've only been in this industry for a short time, so where does this hatred for big bosses and companies come from?
In the entire hearing room, Zhuang Xu had the most complicated feelings.

To be fair, ever since he started his business with Blogcn in 2002, he has been very clear about his role: to help Lu Kuan control the shares and implement his will.

In terms of entrepreneurial talent in company operations, he knew in his heart that he was inferior to Wang Xing, a top student from Tsinghua University.

Zhuang Xu recalled their journey together, from their two-story office in Zhongguancun to becoming the number one social media platform in China.

He then recalled the instructions Lu Kuan had given him and Dong Shuangqiang before they entered Sichuan.
-
“Be careful of two people. One is Jiang Beichun, who has a large shareholding in Focus Media and is easily turned to do something wrong. If Wenjie is broken up due to anti-monopoly, he is very likely to take control of Focus Media directly through the personal relationship clause of the Company Law.”

"What about the second one?"

"Wang Xing".

"Wang Xing? Why?"

"For no reason other than I think he has a rebellious streak."

At that time, Boss Lu made a joke, then solemnly told the two vice presidents of Wenjie: "Wang Xing is not the type to stay in a subordinate position for long. You have come to Wenjie to take up a post, but you still need to take charge of Zhijie for a period of time. Perhaps he will have some thoughts in his mind."

Zhuang Xu, a man of great virtue and integrity, immediately spoke up for his old subordinate: "I think it's no problem to hand over Blogcn and Weibo to him. He's just a bit impulsive sometimes and doesn't watch his mouth, but his abilities are beyond doubt. Otherwise, let him..."

“No. Wenjie has always followed the path of high profits and high welfare, and is willing to share development rights with employees. In addition, with the authorization of virtual shares this time, Wang Xing is not on our side. He can be a general manager to manage business, but he can't oversee the overall situation.”

Zhuang Xu was speechless for a moment before finally sighing, "I know, he greatly admires Liu Chuanzhi."

What does this sentence mean? How can ignoring employee rights be related to worshipping Chairman Liu?

This relates to the Two Sessions in early 2008, when Chairman Liu, as a representative of entrepreneurs, advocated for a balanced labor-management relationship and opposed clauses that overly emphasized employee rights when participating in discussions on policies such as the "New Labor Law".

Wang Xing's stance on labor relations can be gleaned from the "lack of social security and the dilemma of flexible employment" faced by Meituan delivery riders in later generations, which is quite different from that of Liu Qiangdong, who was also a manager of a subsidiary of Wenjie.

From a business management perspective, how should entrepreneurs balance the labor-management relationship with their employees?
This is a question worth exploring.

Objectively speaking, Ma Yun's 996 work schedule, Wang Xing's exploitation of delivery riders, and Liu Chuanzhi's opposition to the new law are all choices based on corporate development. However, they ultimately have different principles from Lu Kuan, Zhuang Xu, Liu Qiangdong, and others, and cannot work together.
-
Zhuang Xu pulled himself out of his memories; Wang Xing's choice left him with a deep sense of regret.

People have different opinions, but we can seek common ground while reserving differences. If you are unhappy at the Zhijie Institute, you can simply switch jobs. Why go to such lengths?

This gentleman wasn't used to thinking too badly of people, but when he glanced at the heads of Alispace and Sohu, he thought to himself that they must have already extended olive branches to him.

He looked at Wang Xing in the hearing seat with a complicated expression.

This old subordinate, who had once fought alongside him, now held his head high, staring intently ahead, his face filled with stubbornness and defiance.

Wang Xing met his gaze, and when he tried to catch the big boss's eye again, the latter just casually flipped through the documents in his hand, not even sparing a glance.

This utter indifference infuriated the proud Wang Xing more than any angry rebuke.

I betrayed you, and you won't even look at me!
What merit or ability does Zhuang Xu have to keep suppressing me?
In his view, Lu Kuan's nepotism as an entrepreneur was extremely unreasonable, just as ridiculous as the many unnecessary benefits he gave to his employees.

"Wang Xing, when did you first meet Lu Kuan and Zhuang Xu? What are your thoughts and understanding of the previous relationship between President Lu and Zhijie Company, and what are your reasons?"

Wang Xing showed no remorse whatsoever, appearing quite similar in character to Liu Chuanzhi and Lao Ma: "In 2002, Mr. Zhuang, who was also an alumnus of Tsinghua University, approached me and introduced me to Mr. Lu to collaborate on founding Blog.com."

"Based on my personal observation, Zhuang Xu should have been holding shares on behalf of General Manager Lu all along, and the two companies are working closely together."

Li Fu pressed further, "Is there any evidence?"

"I naturally wouldn't see such a personal agreement."

Lu Kuan thought to himself, "What kind of agreement is this? If there is one, it can only be called a gentleman's agreement."

He interrupted, "Director Li, if Wang Xing mentions any solid evidence, just present it directly as evidence. Don't try to induce the witnesses to confess."

Li Fu harbored resentment, but seeing Wang Xing's terrified silence after hearing a single sentence, he figured he wouldn't gain much, so he prepared to unleash his ultimate move.

Why did he try so hard to connect Lu Kuan with Zhi Jie?

The reason is that the material he is about to produce was from before the Zhijie merged into the Wenjie.

If the evidence is conclusive and can be proven, Zhuang Xu can be knocked to the ground, but it's not enough to really take action against Boss Lu.

The players in the audience, including Wang, Ma, and Deng Wendi, couldn't help but sweat a little. After so much planning and risking offending Lu Kuan in this do-or-die battle, they were about to reach match point!

It's done! Wenjie's economic crimes are confirmed. As the legal representative, Lu Kuan is undoubtedly responsible. Even if the country handles it discreetly due to the Olympics and the need for stability, he himself will be fine.

However, it is not impossible to continue digging deeper along this line and seek to dismantle the world of entertainment. The most important thing is to sweep away all obstacles to Huayi's listing path and remove all hindrances.

If it doesn't work!

Wang Dajun and his brother looked at President Ni not far away and thought to themselves that with his many years of experience in the financial system and his strong sense of security, since he decided to launch an attack today, Wenjie must be in no way in terms of evidence.

Otherwise, how could he dare?
The woman next to him won't let him off the hook!
Li Fu took a deep breath and presented the investigation team's audit findings:
“Since 2006, Wenjie Holdings has used the fixed assets of its subsidiaries, such as Wenjie Jiahe, as collateral to obtain a total of RMB 12.5 billion in loans from the Bank of China in batches, which were used for company operations and cinema expansion.”

"Upon investigation, it was found that the aforementioned loan funds were transferred to Zhijie Group multiple times through related-party transactions, and Zhijie Group also had two large cross-border outflow records during the same period, with the use of funds inconsistent with the declared foreign exchange use."

The head of the investigation team felt confident that he had grasped the crux of the matter, which was also the data that had been truly verified. He naturally felt reassured and stated emphatically:
"After communicating with the Economic Crime Investigation Department, firstly, if Wenjie Holdings transfers domestic funds to overseas through fabricated transaction backgrounds or false declaration materials, and fails to register foreign exchange as required or uses foreign exchange beyond the approved purpose, it may constitute an act of evading foreign exchange control."

"Second, if the loan funds are not used for the declared purpose, and there are deceptive means such as false collateral materials or fabricated use of funds, then it is suspected of defrauding financial institutions of loans."

"Third, if Wenjie engages in any behavior that conceals or disguises the source or nature of funds in the fund transfer chain, such as circumventing supervision through multi-layered nested transactions, it may trigger money laundering charges."

Li Fu's face was ashen as he successively presented the related-party transaction contracts and financial documents between Wenjie Holdings and Zhijie Group, showing that the transfer of funds had no reasonable commercial substance.
The cross-border payment records of Zhijie Group provided by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange show some discrepancies with the declared purposes;
In addition, the Bank of China's post-loan supervision report questioned whether Jiejie Holdings used the funds in accordance with the purpose stipulated in the loan agreement.

shock!
The audience was in an uproar!
Does Wenjie really have so many financial problems?
At least so far, none of the hearing participants in the audience have raised any doubts about this.

From the very beginning of this war of public opinion, no one on Huayi's ship, from top to bottom, dared to directly mention Lu Kuan's name.

How audacious would one have to fabricate materials to frame the chief director of the Olympics?
Since Li Fu dares to speak so confidently now, it can only mean that the procedures for this material and the investigation conclusion, from process to result, are at least procedurally flawless.

This ensures that Ni and his associates can escape unscathed, which is why they are willing to set up this scheme. It is always best to be cautious in everything.

Li Fu's lips curled up slightly, a few fine lines appeared at the corners of his eyes, and his face was shiny with excitement.

Looking at the group of people from the Ask World whispering among themselves, only the young director maintained his ever-calm expression.

He thought to himself that this guy was really good at maintaining his composure, and then he tapped the table lightly with his right index finger, the rhythm was light and quick, as if he was keeping time for his upcoming victory.

In fact, even to uninformed onlookers, it seems absurd that Lu Kuan has such a large business empire in the United States, and where does the investment capital come from.

Mytube's sale cost at most a billion dollars, so where did the money to acquire Netflix come from?
The Bank of China's loan of over a billion yuan is indeed a drop in the ocean compared to the huge sum spent on acquiring Netflix, but what if Wenjie has always relied on this method to fraudulently obtain loans?

Zhu Jinling, chief lawyer of Wenjie, said in a deep voice: "As a strategic partner, the financial transactions between us and Zhijie are normal business operations, and there is nothing to say about them."

"The elements of the crime of fraudulently obtaining loans are that it causes significant losses to financial institutions. With a loan of 12.5 billion yuan, Wenjie can withdraw the funds to repay the loan within a month."

"As for the money laundering charges, they are pure nonsense. Please provide more evidence from the working group."

Li Fu said confidently, "Regarding the two points mentioned above, the investigation team can give you more time to consider. What about the evasion of foreign exchange?"

He patted the mountain of documents on the table: "Or could you ask the person in charge at Zhijie why Zhijie has repeatedly paid service fees to a certain offshore company abroad through Zhijie?"

"If it weren't for Mr. Wang Xing, the then vice president of Zhijie, providing us with the materials, these complex accounts would have been truly unfathomable."

The group leader's voice grew louder and louder. He felt that the hearing had entered the stage of his own performance. At this moment, his speech was impassioned and he was about to expose the hypocritical face of a capitalist to the world.

"The most recent one was in August 2007, when we tracked the flow of funds through Wenjie Holdings, Zhijie Group, and a Cayman company, eventually ending up in a confidential account at a Swiss bank..."

Boss Lu's face darkened, and he unusually interrupted him, saying, "Alright! Stop talking!"

Old Ma, Da Jun, Xiao Lei, and the others were overjoyed. He lost his composure! He finally lost his composure!

What does this mean?
The CEO's reaction was like an adrenaline shot for Li Fu, prompting him to try and confront this "abyss" head-on.

He unleashed his trump card, seeking revenge for the humiliation he had previously inflicted with the "Paramount crisis."

"President Lu! This is not an issue that can be avoided. Even if Wenjie can repay the loan at any time, your long-term tolerance of the company's outflow of funds through Zhijie's channels has already had a detrimental impact on the country's financial order!"

"Furthermore, based on the testimony of witness Wang Xing, we have reason to suspect that you have been the actual controller of Zhijie since 2002, meaning that you yourself bear absolute responsibility for this incident!"

"Now, I would like to ask the investigation team and relevant departments to report a fact: what was the purpose of these two sums of money, which ultimately ended up in a Swiss bank account?"

The air in the entire hearing room seemed to freeze instantly, and even the faint hum of the air conditioner could be clearly heard.

Li Fu's forceful questioning echoed beneath the high dome, the final syllables like a sharp paper cutter, clearly slicing several cracks in the room—

Of course, this is how he sees himself at this moment.

The head of the investigation team, a graduate of the Central University of Finance and Economics, seemed to be facing the abyss without any hesitation...

He's not that scary, is he?

Through Boss Lu's gloomy face, Li Fu could almost see his own future soaring to great heights!
His mind involuntarily drifted back to the leader's patient guidance: the "three-fixed" plan had been finalized, and the National Anti-Money Laundering Bureau and the Credit Reference Bureau were about to be established.

The creaking of chairs could be heard from the audience seats.

Ma Yun leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees;
Wendy Deng's fingers, painted with scarlet nail polish, tapped unconsciously on her crocodile handbag, as if she were calculating something;
The Huayi brothers loosened their ties in unison, and the sound of their Adam's apples bobbing could almost be heard.

Standing under the witness stand lights, Wang Xing had beads of sweat on the back of his neck. His pupils contracted slightly when his gaze swept over Zhuang Xu, but he suddenly raised his chin after seeing a barely perceptible nod behind Li Fu.

On stage, Ni Xing took the initiative to speak with Leader Liu for the first time today: "Xiao Li is quite capable, haha."

"Hmm, not bad!" Leader Liu nodded in agreement with his assessment, saying casually, "Old Ni, if you're willing to part with him, why not let him work in the municipal finance department? He should be quite good."

"Haha, my opinion doesn't count."

Old Liu smiled and shook his head.

"Cough cough!" The ribbon hanging from the air conditioner vent suddenly swayed violently, whether from a change in airflow or from someone trembling.

In the dead silence, Lu Kuan slowly rose, the rustling sound of his suit fabric making everyone's neck hairs stand on end.

His gesture of adjusting the microphone carried a strange sense of ritual, like a gunman calibrating his sights. His sharp eyes swept across the entire room, and Li Fu unconsciously clenched his fists.

He asked himself about his performance today, and apart from being dragged down by his teammate Zhu Dake, he felt that his performance was almost perfect.

What can Lu Kuan say now?
Unless forced to reveal the truth.

But you capitalists use such sneaky methods to cover up your entry and exit operations, I'm afraid the truth is not very presentable, is it?

"Today is a hearing, not a judicial inquiry or court statement. Regarding the whereabouts of these two funds, I prefer to communicate in a different way."

Li Fu's voice suddenly rose: "No way!"

His face was flushed, the veins on his forehead were throbbing, and his eyes were flashing with an almost excited light, as if he could already see Lu Kuan's miserable state when he was forced into a desperate situation.

"Mr. Lu, the purpose of the hearing is to clarify the issues! Since you admit that the funds did indeed flow overseas, you must explain on the spot—where did these two sums of money go? What were they used for?"

Li Fu stared intently at Lu Kuan, but strangely, the president of Wenjie, a capitalist on the verge of ruin, who should have been flushed and sweating, smiled faintly at him.

“If I say it now, I will be breaking the law.”

"If you don't tell, then you're breaking the law."

"Are you sure you want me to tell you? Li Fu, you should consider whether you can bear the consequences."

"can!"

Boss Lu shook his head, looking down on him, then suddenly turned to Ni Xing, who was not far away, and waved: "Boss, what do you think?"

“Director Li is your subordinate, and I don’t think this matter should be brought up in this setting.”

Old Ni was very cautious. He smiled sincerely at Lu Kuan and said, "Mr. Lu, I've heard a lot about you and have always respected your patriotism, but one thing is one thing, and some things still need to be done according to the rules..."

He asked himself if he had shown the other party enough respect, and then looked at his superior, Liu, with perfect tact: "What do you think?"

Leader Liu stood up with a smile: "I can't figure it out, but one thing I want to emphasize is that all of you here today must resolve this issue within the framework of the law, and absolutely must not do anything illegal or disorderly."

"I have another meeting, I'll be going now." Before leaving, he glanced at the bank manager beside him, his eyes carrying a strange hint of mockery.

The audience members, including the two kings, were overjoyed once again!
What does this mean?
Are we really going to give up Lukuan under pressure from our own side?

It's not that they're being delusional; it's actually not impossible, given the way the outside world is praising Mr. Lu to the point of undermining him, and because the president is now avoiding the core issues he faces.

Even though the group was extremely cautious about the road ahead, it was hard not to feel a touch of optimism in the current situation.

The two kings were overjoyed, Li Fu was overjoyed, and it was probably only the latter, the old leader on the stage, who was somewhat surprised.

Just as he was about to open his mouth and turn back to make amends, Lu Kuan said in a deep voice, "Host, I need to call a witness to the scene. Due to the special nature of the witness, please ask all irrelevant people to leave for the time being."

The female section chief of the Ministry of Commerce was already dumbfounded. Seeing that everyone from Li Fu to the top leaders were frowning and deep in thought, she didn't know what he was up to and could only agree according to procedure.

Ma Yun, Deng Wendi, Da Wang, and the others cursed Lu Gou inwardly, thinking, "Damn it, why the sudden interruption? What kind of trick are you trying to pull now?"
The scene was quickly cleared, and with Leader Liu's early departure, the large hearing room soon became quiet. Wang Xing followed the crowd out, when suddenly Boss Lu called out to him, "Wang Xing, stay for a moment."

The latter paused, her back stiffening slightly. She turned around, intending to mumble a few words to him, but was then gripped by an indescribable sense of loss—

Lu Kuan didn't even look at him directly, but instead turned his head to whisper something to Zhuang Xu, as if his existence was nothing more than an insignificant interlude in this hearing.

The self-important rich kid secretly resented it!
What gives you the right to look down on me!
Wang Xing even wanted to better fit his role as a traitor, leaving without looking back, no longer suffering the pain of being unappreciated in the world of questioning. Alispace would surely allow him to soar freely like a bird in the sky!
But when he finally turned around, he had to accept a reality with dismay—

Even a casual "Stay here" from the powerful Boss Lu could keep him rooted to the spot, preventing him from even considering resistance, even in today's circumstances.

This discovery left him utterly frustrated.

Suddenly, the side door was pushed open, and an officer wearing a Type 07 desert camouflage training uniform strode into the hearing room.

The pine-green background and the two-stripe, three-star colonel insignia on his shoulder straps were particularly eye-catching under the lights. The metal badge of the General Armaments Department on his chest and the arm patch of a certain research institute of the General Armaments Department on his left arm indicated his identity.

These are personnel from the core department responsible for the pre-research and procurement of weapons and equipment for the entire military.

The officer had a serious expression, only smiling slightly when he saw Boss Lu. After nodding in acknowledgment, he showed his military officer's ID to the city's economic crime investigation and other law enforcement departments.

"I am Yang Rui, deputy director of the General Armament Department's Aerospace Systems Engineering Office. This is my identification."

He then took out a red folder with the stamp "Top Secret for Ten Years" from his briefcase, but instead of opening it, he unfolded a letter jointly issued by the General Armaments Department and the Security Committee.

Li Fu stood there dumbfounded, reaching out to take it, when he was startled by Yang Rui's stern and angry rebuke:
"You can only look! Don't touch it."

Yang Rui's expression was unfriendly. He not only forbade the working group from taking any action, but also only allowed them to see snippets of text, unable to get a complete picture.

He first displayed the official seals of the Equipment Procurement Administration Bureau of the General Armaments Department and the Equipment Development Department of the Junwei Committee, demonstrating the official validity of the document, and then said in a deep voice:
"This is the 'Confirmation Letter Regarding the Classification of Special Technology Import Projects.' In accordance with Article 12 of the 'Law on Guarding State Secrets' and the special exemption clause of the 'Anti-Espionage Law,' our department hereby requests your working group to immediately cease its investigation into the relevant funds of Wenjie and Zhijie companies."

"Those who violate this rule will bear the consequences!"

Li Fu's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, his face turning deathly pale.

His lips trembled, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead; his earlier aggressive demeanor had completely vanished.

The official document, stamped with the top-secret seal, acted like an invisible wall, shattering his meticulously planned offensive.

"This...this is not in accordance with procedure..." The team leader's Adam's apple bobbed a few times, and he could only manage to squeeze out a dry voice, only to be immediately reprimanded!
"Shut up! Don't you know the rules?" Old Ni's expression changed drastically. He no longer cared about being a bystander and acting as a sycophant. He walked over and sternly reprimanded his subordinate.

Wang Xing, standing to the side, was even more ashen-faced. His notebook fell to the ground with a thud, and his eyes were fixed on the undried mud stains on Yang Rui's combat boots, which must have been brought back from the test site.

He suddenly realized the dangerous vortex he had been caught in, and his fingers unconsciously gripped the hem of his suit, twisting the expensive custom-made fabric into distorted wrinkles.

Even the bank manager's forehead was beaded with sweat. A sudden flash of memory crossed his mind: the look in Old Liu's eyes as he got up to leave—it seemed to be...

Pitiful?
Whether it was the benefits of being the first listed company in the domestic entertainment industry or the connections that several companies had begged and pleaded for, he didn't care at all at this moment. He gripped Yang Rui's hand tightly and said, "Comrade, this is indeed a misunderstanding. I will report to my superiors immediately, disband the working group, stop the investigation, and destroy all materials!"

Even though we can't quite figure out the specific relationship between Lu Kuan and the Equipment Department yet, we must first lower our heads.

Who can possibly defeat these arrogant and fierce soldiers!
However, the arrogant and fierce general in his eyes didn't even bother to talk to him. He smiled and said to Lu Kuan, "Director Lu, why don't you ride in my car later?"

“Okay.” Boss Lu had no interest in observing the expressions of these drowning dogs and nodded in agreement.

Old Ni relaxed a little, thinking that being able to get rid of these two big shots was a blessing, but once again things didn't go as planned—

Yang Rui then took out another document from his bag, first showing everyone the signature and seal, and then reading it aloud:

"Attention all personnel! Order No. 047 of the Equipment Development Department is hereby announced."

He quickly unfolded an official document stamped with the national emblem wax seal: "Effective immediately, a joint confidentiality inspection team will be established, with myself as the team leader, to conduct a thorough investigation into this potential leak!"

"All personnel, paper materials, and audio-visual materials of your group will be sealed up. The members of the investigation team and this witness will all come with us later."

Yang Rui turned to Lao Ni, who was terrified: "Boss, you also have to be questioned. Please cooperate with the routine procedures!"

"Yes! I'll definitely cooperate!"

The former nodded indifferently, knowing that his part was over and that he should leave the scene to the young director with a pure heart.

"Director Lu, I'll be waiting for you outside."

"Okay, I'll go right away."

Watching Yang Rui leave, Wang Xing was about to speak when he suddenly covered his mouth, a sob escaping through his fingers.

He looked at Lu Kuan in despair, his pupils contracting sharply, as if he were looking at a complete stranger he had never truly known.

Why would a whistleblower who believes their report is legal and compliant end up plunging themselves into the abyss of treason and leaking secrets?

"Lu Kuan! You're being far too cruel!"

Boss Lu simply looked back at him calmly, his eyes as deep as an ancient well, without the slightest ripple.

That indifference, bordering on pity, finally shattered Wang Xing's psychological defenses.

His lips twitched uncontrollably, and his once meticulously combed slicked-back hair was now strayed, with a few strands sticking to his sweat-drenched forehead, making him look like a drowned dog whose spine had been removed.

The rich second-generation, who should no longer be able to bestow yellow robes upon the riders, slumped to the ground, only to hear the condescending Boss Lu's calmly sarcastic tone.

"I had Zhuang Xu call you yesterday. If you don't answer, that's fine."

"He was kind-hearted and called you three times, but you still didn't appreciate it."

"Zhuang Xu knows he's not as capable as you, and he insisted I give him a chance to showcase his talents. Is this how you repay kindness with ingratitude?"

With thinning hair, Wang Xing's lips trembled, unable to speak. The regret in his heart was driving him mad, but his face was ashen, and he had no strength left to respond.

Boss Lu glanced again at Li Fu, who was being taken away by the guards, and Lao Ni, who seemed to feel a sense of shared sorrow.

The latter had weathered decades of storms and remained relatively calm, but he had to seize the opportunity to curry favor: "Mr. Lu, about this matter..."

Boss Lu waved his hand and laughed, "It's my duty to investigate what needs to be investigated. I have no objection."

"However, let's be frank, I know that you and Huayi are very familiar with each other..."

Before he could finish his sentence, the bank manager abruptly interrupted him: "Not bad! Not really close! Not really close."

"Huh? We're not familiar with each other? Then forget it." The washing machine pretended to be serious: "I was saying that we're all colleagues, so let's not make things so ugly every time. I wanted to find a respected middleman to mediate."

"I didn't expect you weren't familiar with the bank manager? Never mind then, I'll be going." The words were spoken lightly, yet carried an undeniable sense of pressure.

The bank manager was completely taken aback. He instantly realized what the man was trying to do: he wanted him to reap the rewards of victory!
"Wait! Mr. Lu!" Old Ni finally couldn't hold back any longer. He took a step forward, raised his hand to stop him, and forced a smile on his face.

"I know him! I know him! I must have misremembered. We do... we do have some connection."

He sighed deeply: "Well, I'm an old friend of the fathers of these two kids, and I do occasionally help them out. I never expected them to be so reckless this time!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Kuan's lips curled up slightly, revealing a half-smile: "Bank manager, give me a straight answer, are you familiar with them or not?"

He slowly adjusted his suit cuffs, but his eyes always held a hint of amusement, as if he were waiting to see a poor performance.

Old Ni, who usually held a high position of power, couldn't stand such scorn and ridicule. He immediately said in a deep voice, "President Lu, what is it? Tell me, I'll go and communicate with them!"

"Oh, is that so?" Boss Lu raised his eyebrows and communicated with him sincerely: "Actually, I am very optimistic about Huayi's development. Our two companies have indeed lacked communication in the past."

"How about this, you tell them to give me 10% of their shares—"

The bank manager interrupted him, exclaiming, "Mr. Lu, isn't this going a bit too far?"

I'm not even this bad myself...

"I haven't finished speaking yet!" The CEO of Wenjie put away his playful expression, exuding a powerful aura and looking at him sharply, showing no regard for the man's status.

"Ten points, not a single decimal point can be omitted!"

"However, Wenjie is currently being pursued by the Bank of China for loan repayments, and I'm not exactly flush with cash. Could you ask your two good nephews to lend me the money?"

He had no more patience to play games with the old bureaucrat: "You have three days to think it over and give me an answer."

For Huayi now, this is worth tens of millions of yuan in equity.

His unequal treaty was intended to extort money without costing him a penny. If he asked for too much, the Wang brothers might resort to desperate measures. 10% was a rather delicate psychological price point.

Ignoring the bank manager's troubled expression, Boss Lu strode away, his leather shoes clicking away. After a while, he turned back and smiled, "There are still many details to uncover in the General Armament Department's leak investigation. The bank manager had better hurry."

Old Ni stood frozen in place, his face ashen, cold sweat trickling down his forehead along the lines of his wrinkles.

Lu Kuan walked out of the hearing room, replying to messages with his head down, showing no interest in even glancing at them, which made Lao Ma and the others at the end of the corridor even more suspicious!

Li Fu and Wang Xing, who were just being escorted onto the military vehicle, witnessed it with their own eyes!
Wang Xiaolei's legs were trembling so badly he could barely stand. He clung tightly to his older brother's arm. Even the most clueless person could guess what was going on from the scene before them.

Wang Xing stole the book! Wang Xing stole the book!

But how did Lu Kuan get involved with the military this time? And when and with whom did this connection occur?

How come this country bumpkin always has so many powerful figures supporting him?

Those who follow the right path receive much help, while those who stray from it receive little help; that's all there is to it.

Wang Dajun appeared calmer than his brother, but his inner shock was no less. As a former reconnaissance soldier, the sight of Yang Rui's shoulder insignia made his heart pound!
Ma Yun was the first to react: "Let's go in and see, the bank manager should still be there."

Wendy Deng, tall and with long legs, hurriedly stepped up the stairs in her high heels. The "click-clack" sound was particularly jarring at that moment, like a dull knife cutting into flesh, scraping against the nerves of the four people.

"uncle?"

"Bank manager, are you alright?"

Startled awake by the questioning, President Ni looked up with a gloomy expression, a cigarette long since extinguished between his fingers, ash scattered on his shiny leather shoes.

"Dajun, Xiaolei, come here." His voice was hoarse, as if it had been sanded.

Holding his Vertu phone, Wang Xiaolei was eager to find out what had happened. He stepped forward to support Ni Xing, asking, "What exactly happened? Why are there so many people outside..."

"Don't ask!" Old Ni's right eyelid twitched. "I have a question for you."

"Did you receive the materials from Wang Xing's report and contact him to pass them on to Li Fu? Were you involved?"

Ma Yun and Deng Wendi couldn't get a word in edgewise, but the Wang brothers, thinking of Wang and Li who had just been taken away in military vehicles, turned pale.

"Uncle...it's me." Wang Xiaolei swallowed hard, never imagining how he had turned the situation around in less than ten minutes.
President Ni nodded silently and said solemnly, "Huayi will transfer 10% of its shares to Lu Kuan. You will have to pay for it yourselves."

"what!"

Ma Yun asked in alarm, "Bank manager, what do you mean by that?"

“Even if Wenjie is found to have committed no crime, we are still acting in accordance with the rules. How can we let him be so arrogant?” Deng Wendi also spoke out indignantly.

Upon hearing this, Wang Xiaolei felt as if he had been struck by lightning. The long-standing inner demon of Lu Kuan caused his face to turn purplish-red instantly, and the veins on his neck to bulge.

Young Master Wang suddenly kicked over the table and chairs beside him, the chair backs slamming onto the marble floor with a loud thud: "Why! Whose connections did he use? He—"

"Snapped!"

A resounding slap abruptly interrupted his roar. Ni Xing's hand was still suspended in mid-air, his eyes flashing with cold light.

"You good-for-nothing, learn from your brother! This slap is to teach you a lesson on behalf of your father!"

He ignored Wang Xiaolei completely, and neither he nor Ma Yun even bothered to nod in acknowledgment. He sighed and looked at Wang Dajun.
"Dajun, don't ask or inquire, just get the things ready."

"It's too late, no one can save him now."

"Yes."

Ma Yun and the others didn't even have time to say goodbye. They watched as this influential figure in the financial world seemed to have all his energy drained away, his shoulders slightly hunched, as he left dejectedly.

A black Mengshi III SUV with a white license plate bearing the number "Military A·WJ18" and red lettering was traveling west from East Chang'an Avenue.

Yang Rui drove himself and chatted excitedly with Lu Kuan: "Director Lu, thank you for donating the drone. It saved the lives of many of our soldiers!"

Mr. Lu laughed and said, "Without the technical support from Northwestern Polytechnical University and Beihang University, DJI could not have developed so rapidly. Military and civilian cooperation is like family."

"Haha, and the advanced technology you brought us from those American devils! That's awesome!" Yang Rui gave the patriotic director a thumbs up, or rather, the entire military system had a very good impression of Boss Lu.

Starting with "Tangshan" three years ago, the most lovable people shone brightly in the ruins of that time during the disaster relief efforts. Through his lens, the brave and fearless spirit of the People's Liberation Army soldiers was fully revealed.

Moreover, Xie Jin called his "Chinese Past Trilogy"—"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Tangshan," and "The Sky of History"—all of which demonstrate a surging patriotic sentiment.

As for the advanced technology that Yang Rui mentioned "trading," it was advanced drone technology that Lu Kuan arranged to import from the United States by leveraging his connections in North American business circles and with Harvey and others.

For example, a multispectral sensor fusion system was purchased under the guise of "civil aviation aerial photography equipment" through the private arms channels of a former employee of an Israeli AI company.

With the help of equipment procurement by Hollywood special effects company Motion Analysis, they were able to bypass the embargo list for autonomous take-off and landing control systems, a technology that could also be used for the take-off and landing of long-arm camera equipment.

Such examples are numerous.

It's worth mentioning that the American black market is rife with patent and arms dealers. One of the more notorious ones who was later exposed is Zhang Ziyi's current boyfriend, Israeli Ivaniwolf.

In America, this is a business.

But how did Wang Xing, Li Fu, and others step on this landmine, leading to their recent arrest by the leak investigation team?
Lu Kuan has always been cautious. Because he already had Twitter and Mytube businesses abroad, he did not use Wenjie Holdings to secretly import these technologies.

Instead, he used less sensitive internet companies such as Blogcn and Weibo, which were run by Zhuang Xu, whom he trusted, as the main entities for the outflow of funds.

Therefore, in May, a series of plans were devised to feign an IPO, forcing Huayi, Lao Ma, and Deng Wendi to unite and fight a desperate battle, ultimately aiming to eliminate their backers and supporters.

Huayi was originally a fat pig he raised, but he wasn't the only one waiting to be slaughtered. Now that the trouble has been completely cleared up, he's just waiting for the New Year.

In just two weeks, the conflict escalated from a war of words, a capital crunch, and a financial siege to a hearing and a power struggle.

The situation was thrown into disarray when Xiao Liu suddenly went to Sichuan and he had no choice but to accompany him, but it also brought out the traitor ahead of time, which was not a bad thing.

From its initial foray into the mainland business world seven years ago to now leading the country's largest cultural media group, Wenjie Holdings' growth trajectory, from humble beginnings to industry pinnacle, is a microcosm of the development of the mainland's cultural industry.

The continued expansion of the company's territory inevitably attracted the covetousness of various forces, including malicious competition from private capital and systemic crackdowns on rent-seeking.

What's intriguing is that the opponent's strategy has gradually "evolved" from the early low-level tactics of personal attacks and smear campaigns against him and Liu Yifei to the seemingly compliant administrative investigations and financial reviews, which are now considered "open and aboveboard" tactics.

In contrast, consider Liu Zeyu, a low-level playboy, Zhou Jun, who came from a ministry compound, and Lao Ni, who decisively surrendered when things turned sour.

His rivals are gradually emerging at a higher level. The allure of wealth and profit makes him an unavoidable fate to be coveted. All he can do is confront them head-on.
-
The black SUV stopped in front of the Olympic Building. Lu Kuan and Yang Rui agreed to continue communication regarding the leak, and then shook hands amicably to say goodbye.

Lu Kuan entered the Olympic Building using facial recognition, and just as he reached the flower bed, he received a call from his girlfriend.

The May sunlight filtered through the gaps in the sycamore leaves, casting dappled shadows on his shoulders.

Several pink and white roses were in full bloom in the flower bed, their petals still glistening with morning dew, sparkling in the sunlight, much like the skin of a girlfriend on the other end of the phone.

"Hello? Is the hearing over?"

"It's over. I just arrived at the Olympic Building and am about to have dinner."

Xiao Liu smiled and said, "We're on the same wavelength! I was just about to eat too. Today I was cooking a big pot of vegetables at the village entrance, and my hand was sore from stirring with the spoon."

"By the way, I contacted Dorje yesterday, and his whole family is safe and sound!"

Hearing this good news, Lu Kuan felt relieved: "See how much tea they have left in their village, buy it all. Don't donate too much money at once, help them restore their industry, and then provide assistance gradually."

"Ok, I know."

Mr. Lu asked curiously, "Why didn't you ask me about the results of today's hearing?"

Liu Yifei giggled and said, "I won't ask, lest you put on an act in front of me again. I hate your smug look!"

"It's so frustrating! I don't get any pleasure from pretending in front of them anymore. I just want to pretend with you, and you're not even going to play along!"

The young woman, beautiful and kind-hearted, said: "Okay, I'll give you a chance to play the big shot. What will happen? I bet they can't be as bad as you. We'll just have to see how badly they fare."

"It's not exactly tragic; everyone pays the price for their own choices, and there's nothing wrong with that."

So Lu Kuan embellished the story of Huayi's impending cession of ten percent of its shares and subsequent reparations.

Liu Yifei, on the other end of the phone, was a master of comedic timing, practically shouting "My husband is awesome!" into the phone, providing plenty of emotional value.

"Hey, how about this?" The washing machine suddenly had a brilliant idea: "Sisi, how about we transfer these ten percent of the shares to your name?"

Liu Yifei was taken aback for a moment, then laughed and said, "I don't care, but why is it hanging on my head?"

Boss Lu joked, "The bride price! If you think it's too little, just say so."

Xiao Liu retorted sarcastically, "It's not much, 10 points isn't worth much money, this dowry is too stingy."

"I want you to paint a hundred pictures for me! At 20 million per picture, that's 2000 billion! That's more valuable than these worthless shares."

Lu Kuan clicked his tongue: "Your supply exceeds demand, it will depreciate."

"The main problem is that once I take Huayi's shares, I'll have a reputation for bullying others and even monopolizing the market. I don't care if people gossip about me."

"It's more appropriate for you to take it, as it will help to avoid attracting attention."

In reality, what he was thinking was to give Xiao Liu, who was slandered in the previous life, the opportunity to occasionally "show off" and "kick someone when they're down" at Huayi in this life, and to kick the good leg of the cripple.

Even a feud spanning nine generations can be avenged, let alone this being only the second generation.
The good show is yet to come.

(End of this chapter)