Siheyuan (courtyard house): My father, Li Yunlong!

Li Zhenhua's contemptuous remark, "Be my mistress," was an unprecedented and humiliating insult to her.

Bai Manli, the daughter of the president of the Shanxi Merchants Association, was intelligent and skillful from a young age. She had never suffered such humiliation.

After the anger comes a chilling rationality and a deeper calculation.

She realized that Li Zhenhua was no ordinary young cadre; he had a powerful background, ruthless methods, and was unyielding to both soft and hard approaches, rendering conventional methods of winning him over ineffective.

But Bai Manli did not give up.

The almost limitless supply channels in Li Zhenhua's hands were too tempting for the Shanxi Chamber of Commerce, which controlled a vast sales network but suffered from a shortage of goods.

If this channel can be mastered, the Chamber of Commerce's influence will reach a new level.

Since appeasement won't work, let's apply pressure.

She wanted Li Zhenhua to know that in the industrial and commercial landscape of Beijing and even the entire north, the Shanxi Merchants Association's network could both support and capsize businesses.

Li Zhenhua's success in the steel rolling mill depends on the cooperation of his upstream and downstream partners.

Upon returning to the Chamber of Commerce, Bai Manli immediately summoned her core confidants and issued a series of instructions.

Her strategy was precise and ruthless. Instead of direct confrontation, she used the Chamber of Commerce’s vast network to create trouble for Red Star Steel Mill at every stage, squeezing its profit margins and delaying its production progress, thereby damaging Li Zhenhua’s performance in charge of logistics.

Firstly, regarding the supply of raw materials, the steel rolling mill relies heavily on suppliers in Shanxi and Hebei provinces for the coke, iron ore, and refractory materials it needs. Most of these suppliers have close ties with the Shanxi Chamber of Commerce.

Soon, the purchasing staff at the steel rolling mill discovered that several major suppliers with whom they usually cooperated smoothly began to delay delivery or reduce supply for various reasons such as "mine maintenance", "transportation difficulties" and "substandard quality". Even if they could get the goods, the price had subtly increased.

Although each increase is small and the reasons seem sufficient, the cumulative impact on costs should not be underestimated.

The procurement department's report was delivered to Li Zhenhua's desk. He glanced at it, sneered, and wrote, "Find alternative channels as planned, and increase the budget appropriately if necessary."

He knew perfectly well that Bai Manli was starting to make her move.

Secondly, in the product sales process.

Some of the steel and machinery parts from the steel rolling mill need to be sold to various regions through the Chamber of Commerce's sales network.

Under Bai Manli's instructions, some regional distributors began to nitpick about product quality, delay payment cycles, or lower purchase prices under the pretext of "weak market".

Although the steel rolling mill's products are not hard to sell, the obstruction in the sales process will undoubtedly affect the speed of capital recovery and the mill's profit indicators.

These troubles may seem insignificant, but they are like countless tiny ropes that begin to entangle the large ship that is the steel rolling mill. Though not fatal, they are enough to cause people distress and make progress difficult.

Several section chiefs under the Logistics Department felt immense pressure and complained to Li Zhenhua.

Li Zhenhua remained calm and collected. On the one hand, he used his connections with Director Yang to allocate resources from other channels. On the other hand, he instructed Liu Lan and Qin Huairu to more strictly control the consumption of materials within the factory, tap into internal potential, and spread the word that the steel rolling mill was actively exploring new supply and sales channels and would soon achieve a breakthrough.

He wanted Bai Manli to know that these petty squabbles could not shake his foundation.

While exerting pressure on the business front, Bai Manli focused her real efforts on another front.

A thorough investigation should be conducted into the source of Li Zhenhua's supplies.

She absolutely did not believe that Li Zhenhua had any "powerful" overseas connections.

The Lou family is a thing of the past; where would they get such power?

There must be something fishy going on behind this.

She used the Chamber of Commerce's most secretive resources.

A team that is not part of the main business network and is specifically responsible for handling "special matters".

This team is composed of all sorts of people, including retired scouts, underworld informants, and even informants planted in certain departments.

Bai Manli's orders to them were...

At all costs, keep a close eye on Lou Bancheng and all those who have had unusual financial or material dealings with Li Zhenhua, and focus on finding out where those grains, steel, and scarce materials came from, what their transportation routes were, and who handled them.

The investigation naturally focused on Lou Bancheng.

However, after experiencing the terrifying incident last time, Lou Bancheng was completely devoted to Li Zhenhua and became increasingly cautious in his actions.

He lives a secluded life, significantly reducing his public appearances, and even when he does go out, it's mostly for trivial social interactions.

The Chamber of Commerce members had been watching for a long time and found that although Lou Bancheng's recent cash flow was complicated, it seemed to point to some normal, small-scale import and export trading companies, and there were no obvious flaws.

The core links that were truly responsible for "laundering" the system's materials were firmly controlled by Li Zhenhua through encrypted telegrams and single-line communication. Lou Bancheng himself could not access the source; he was merely an executor and a "white glove."

Bai Manli's people also tried to track Li Zhenhua, but found it extremely difficult.

As the deputy factory director, Li Zhenhua was always accompanied by a driver when he went out, and he was extremely vigilant.

They discovered that Li Zhenhua would occasionally drive alone to the west of the city, but the location of No. 7, Jia, Lingjing Hutong was secluded. Li Zhenhua was always extremely careful when he went there, changing his route many times. Moreover, the courtyard was guarded by a special person, making it difficult for outsiders to get close and even more impossible to see what was going on inside.

After several attempts, not only did they fail to achieve anything, they almost alerted the enemy.

"Miss, Li Zhenhua has extremely strong counter-surveillance capabilities, and Lou Bancheng's side is also like a frightened bird, keeping their mouths shut. Our people can't get close to the core."

When the confidant reported to Bai Manli, he looked troubled.

Bai Manli sat in front of the dressing table, looking at her bright yet somewhat gloomy face in the mirror, and said coldly.

"Keep an eye on them! If we can't break through Lou Bancheng's defenses, we'll start elsewhere. Those people Li Zhenhua promoted in the factory—Liu Lan, Qin Huairu, and that idiot Zhu—don't they have any clues at all? And the transportation环节—so much food and supplies going in and out, it's impossible to leave no trace! Investigate those dockworkers and truck drivers; there are bound to be greedy and lustful ones among them! Money is no object, I want the truth!"

She doesn't believe in perfect situations.

Li Zhenhua's supplies seemed to appear out of thin air, which is inherently illogical.

She keenly sensed that there must be a huge secret hidden behind this, and this secret was likely the key to bringing down Li Zhenhua, or at least forcing him to submit.

Just as Bai Manli was employing a two-pronged approach and pressing forward relentlessly, an unexpected event caused the undercurrents to suddenly surge.

A batch of urgently needed special alloy steel billets, which were transferred from a steel plant in the south, encountered a problem during transportation.

This batch of steel was transported by rail and should have gone directly to Beijing, but it was temporarily detained at a small station in Hebei Province.

The supply and marketing department officer escorting the shipment was sweating profusely. The station staff were adamant, claiming that "we received a report that there are questions about the documentation for this shipment and that we need to open the boxes for inspection." However, the inspection date was repeatedly postponed.

When the news reached the steel rolling mill, the head of the supply and marketing department in charge of the matter hurriedly found Li Zhenhua.

"Director Li, this is bad! This batch of steel billets is crucial for the commissioning of the new production line next week. We can't afford any delays! They're holding us back, saying they're waiting for some 'instruction from higher up.' It's obvious someone's sabotaging us!"

A cold glint flashed in Li Zhenhua's eyes.

This is no longer the kind of subtle pressure from costs and sales, but a direct stranglehold on production.

The methods were more direct and ruthless. He immediately realized that this was likely not something the Bai Manli Chamber of Commerce network could accomplish, but rather something that involved deeper connections.

It seems that Bai Manli, or rather the forces behind her, are starting to get impatient.

"Do you know which person is causing the problem?"

Li Zhenhua asked in a deep voice.

"Yes...it seems to be related to a section chief surnamed Wang from the railway bureau. I heard that person has close ties with Shanxi."

The section chief answered cautiously.

Shanxi?

Shanxi merchants?

Li Zhenhua sneered inwardly; it was indeed her.

Is this forcing him to step in and beg her?

He hesitated for a moment, then decided not to immediately use his connections with Liu Dashan or Lin Jingyue.

While that might solve the problem quickly, it would also make you appear incapable of handling the situation and prematurely reveal your hand.

He needs to resolve the situation in his own way and retaliate accordingly.

He picked up the phone and directly dialed a secret number for Tianjin Port.

That was a contact person for a smuggling channel controlled by Lou Bancheng.

Li Zhenhua spoke a few instructions into the microphone in a low voice.

He demanded that the other party use all their connections to procure a batch of alloy steel billets of the same specifications, or even better quality, from Hong Kong in the shortest possible time, and transport them to Tianjin by air at a high cost, and then have his absolutely reliable transport team transport them back to the factory overnight.

Cost is not an issue.

At the same time, he instructed the factory office to send a strongly worded official document to the railway bureau and higher authorities in the name of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, pointing out the seriousness of the unjustified detention of important production materials and demanding their immediate release and accountability for those responsible. This was a classic case of feigning one thing while doing another.

Three days later, while the small station for the clip steel was still dawdling and preparing for "inspection," the alternative steel billets that Li Zhenhua had obtained from the sea had quietly entered the factory, ensuring the smooth commissioning of the new production line.

The strongly worded document from the steel rolling mill also caused some ripples within the system, putting pressure on the person behind it.

Li Zhenhua seemed to have easily resolved the matter, but he knew in his heart that Bai Manli's attack had only just begun, and her methods would become increasingly intense.

He must quicken his pace, consolidate his foundation, and prepare for a long, bloodless war with this formidable opponent.

He became even more certain that he must take complete control of every detail of the Lou family's overseas channels as soon as possible, and even consider, if necessary, getting rid of Lou Bancheng and establishing a safer material flow channel that is completely under his control.

All of this can only be done after the marriage with Lin Taotao is settled and his position is more secure.

While Li Zhenhua and Bai Manli were secretly vying for power, another storm was brewing in Beijing.

With Lin Jingyue's personal involvement and efforts, the process proceeded exceptionally smoothly.

A notice of medical retirement stating that "due to health reasons, it is not suitable to continue engaging in heavy physical labor" was issued to that isolated farm deep in the Dabie Mountains.

A few days later, Ding Wei, looking haggard and carrying a tattered suitcase, boarded a train back to Beijing.

When Ding Wei walked out of the Beijing Railway Station carrying his almost empty luggage roll, Li Yunlong and Kong Jie, who were already waiting on the platform, barely recognized him at first glance.

The Ding Wei I remembered, with his burly build, booming voice, and reckless spirit, was gone.

Standing before them was an old farmer with gray hair, a hunched back, and a dark, rough complexion.

He wore a faded old military uniform, without collar insignia or cap badges, hanging empty on his thin frame.

What's most alarming is his eyes. His once sharp, eagle-like gaze has become cloudy and dull, with a habitual avoidance and deep weariness when he looks at people.

Only when his gaze swept over the two extremely excited faces of Li Yunlong and Kong Jie did he seem to show a barely perceptible fluctuation; his chapped lips trembled slightly, but in the end, it turned into a barely audible sound.

"Old Li... Old Kong..."

"Old Ding!"

Li Yunlong rushed forward and hugged Ding Wei tightly. This tough man burst into tears instantly, his voice choked with emotion.

"You son of a bitch! You're finally... finally back!"

Kong Jie, her eyes also red, patted Ding Wei's back forcefully, a thousand words stuck in her chest, but she could only utter one sentence.

"It's good that you're back! It's good that you're back!"

Ding Wei's body stiffened for a moment, then relaxed slightly. He reached out his rough, tree-bark-like hands and hugged his two old comrades back. Then he quickly separated them, lowered his head, and habitually shrugged his shoulders, as if he was not used to the sudden enthusiasm and attention.

On the jeep ride back, Li Yunlong and Kong Jie excitedly asked all sorts of questions, reminiscing about their time apart. Ding Wei mostly listened in silence, occasionally uttering "hmm" or "ah." When asked about his life on the farm, he would only vaguely say "not bad" or "I can eat my fill," and then say nothing more.

The deliberate distance and silence gradually made the atmosphere inside the car somewhat oppressive.

Li Yunlong and Kong Jie exchanged a glance, both seeing heartache and worry in each other's eyes.

They knew that farm life had completely changed this once fearless old comrade-in-arms.

To welcome Ding Wei back, Li Yunlong threw a grand banquet at his home, inviting only Li Zhenhua to accompany him, in addition to Kong Jie.

The banquet was very lavish, with chicken, duck, fish, and meat all included, and the wine was a vintage Moutai that had been treasured for many years.

Li Yunlong and Kong Jie tried their best to create a lively atmosphere, frequently raising their glasses to reminisce about the glorious years on the battlefield, talking about their fallen comrades, the troubles they had caused together, and the punishments they had received, attempting to awaken Ding Wei's memory and fighting spirit.

At first, Ding Wei just drank quietly and ate very little food.

Stimulated by alcohol and the words of his old comrades, his tense expression seemed to ease a bit, and he became more talkative.

But when Li Yunlong patted Li Zhenhua on the shoulder with great enthusiasm and introduced him to Ding Wei...

"Old Ding, look! This is my son Zhenhua! He's the deputy director of our steel rolling mill now! Young and promising! You were able to come back this time thanks to him talking to Lin Jingyue!" Ding Wei raised his eyelids and glanced at Li Zhenhua indifferently.