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

Just three days after Lin Jingyue's conversation in his study, a subtle current began to flow quietly in certain small circles in Beijing.

The first to sense this shift was a deputy director of the Planning Department of the Ministry of Industry. During an informal tea gathering after a meeting to coordinate annual production targets for the Northeast industrial base, he overheard a deputy director who chaired the meeting casually mention, "At Ansteel, the old Party Secretary's health hasn't been very good, and there's definitely a need for some new management ideas. In the current situation, simply maintaining the status quo won't work; we need some enterprising young people to take the lead."

These words were spoken casually, but those present, seasoned veterans of the system, immediately grasped the unusual implications. What kind of place is Ansteel? It was the first large-scale integrated steel enterprise built with the nation's full resources in the early days of the People's Republic, the "eldest son of the Republic's steel industry." Its Party Secretary and Factory Director have always been vice-ministerial or even ministerial level officials, whose qualifications and experience are indispensable. To now say they need "enterprising young people" seems far too pointed.

Sure enough, in the following days, similar rumors began to circulate in smaller, more core circles. A veteran expert from the metallurgical system said privately, "I heard that the higher-ups are looking for a new leader for Ansteel, and the requirements are quite specific—he must be young, have successful experience in solving practical difficulties in large enterprises, and have the courage to break with convention." With these keywords combined, the number of people in Beijing who meet the criteria is almost negligible.

The most eye-catching of all is undoubtedly Li Zhenhua, who has recently been in the limelight and just got engaged to the Lin family's daughter.

When the news reached the Shanxi Chamber of Commerce, Bai Manli was reviewing the latest report from the Chamber's informant within the railway system—a follow-up to the incident involving the withholding of alloy steel billets from the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill. The report indicated that the mill had not only avoided disruption to its new production line due to the withholding of the steel, but had also obtained a substitute of the same specifications and superior quality through "unofficial channels" in a very short time. The railway bureau eventually released the goods under pressure from higher authorities, but it was too late. Instead, it was criticized for "withholding important production materials without justifiable reason," and Director Wang, who had close ties with the Shanxi merchants, was transferred from his key position.

Bai Manli looked at the report, her slender fingers unconsciously tapping the mahogany tabletop. She wasn't surprised by the result. Since Li Zhenhua had easily defused her first round of business pressure, he naturally had ways to deal with this kind of direct strangulation. But what truly concerned her were the words "unknown channels" in the report.

Just then, her confidant, Manager Sun, who was in charge of intelligence gathering at the Chamber of Commerce, knocked on the door with a serious expression and brought the news that had just spread among the upper echelons.

"Miss, I just heard that Lin Jingyue... may be working to get Li Zhenhua a job at Ansteel as the factory director."

The room fell into dead silence instantly.

The report slipped silently from Bai Manli's hand. She slowly raised her head, and for the first time, her phoenix eyes, which always held a hint of a smile and a hint of calculation, revealed an incredulous shock.

"Anshan Iron and Steel? The factory director?" she repeated, her voice dry and hoarse without her even realizing it. "He's only twenty-one!"

"Absolutely true." Manager Sun lowered his voice. "Although the news hasn't been made public yet, several key departments have already heard the commotion. It's said that Lin Jingyue is very determined this time because Ansteel needs young cadres who are 'bold and capable of breaking the deadlock' to carry out reforms. Li Zhenhua's achievements in resolving the logistical crisis and stabilizing production at the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill are being used as the main basis for this assessment."

Bai Manli stood up and walked to the window. Outside the window was the courtyard of the Chamber of Commerce headquarters, with its rockeries, flowing water, and lush flowers and trees, exuding the elegance of a Jiangnan garden, a stark contrast to the turbulent emotions she felt at that moment.

She had thought she had assessed Li Zhenhua highly enough—he had a powerful background, ruthless methods, and was unyielding to both soft and hard approaches. But now it seemed she had underestimated Lin Jingyue's attention to and cultivation of this prospective son-in-law, as well as the platform Li Zhenhua could access.

Anshan Iron and Steel Plant Director!

What does that mean? It means that Li Zhenhua will leap to the helm of one of the Republic's most important industrial bases, officially entering the ranks of senior leaders. It means he will have a far broader stage and resources than he did at the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill. More importantly, it means that under Lin Jingyue's wing, he will build truly independent political capital and industrial empire.

Once Li Zhenhua establishes himself at Ansteel and achieves success, his "material channels" will no longer be merely a small means to solve the difficulties of a steel rolling mill, but could become a strategic resource influencing an industry, a region, or even a higher level. At that point, it will be exponentially more difficult for the Shanxi Chamber of Commerce to try and access these channels again.

"We can't let him go to Anshan Iron and Steel so easily." Bai Manli turned around, her eyes regaining their composure, but the coldness in them was more chilling than ever before. "At the very least, we can't let him leave Beijing without paying a price."

"What does Miss mean?" Manager Sun asked cautiously.

Bai Manli pondered for a moment, her mind racing through various possibilities.

Conventional commercial pressure tactics have clearly failed. With the Lin family as his backing and his own ruthless methods, minor skirmishes cannot shake his foundation; on the contrary, they might escalate the conflict and push the Shanxi Chamber of Commerce to its complete opposite side. This is not in the long-term interest of the Chamber of Commerce.

Directly confronting Lin Jingyue? That would be even more unwise. Lin Jingyue has deep roots in both the military and political circles. Although the Shanxi Merchants Association is wealthy and powerful, its political influence is simply no match for such a founding general.

So, only two paths remain.

The first option is to attempt a last-ditch deal. Before Li Zhenhua leaves Beijing to take up his new post, conduct a secret negotiation with him offering more sincere and enticing terms. The Shanxi Chamber of Commerce can promise to leverage its sales network in Northeast China and even nationwide to open up broader markets for Ansteel's products, assist in solving raw material supply issues, and even provide financial support for technological upgrades after Li Zhenhua's arrival at Ansteel. In exchange, Li Zhenhua needs to share some information about "special channels," or at least promise to prioritize cooperation with the Shanxi Chamber of Commerce under the same conditions.

This sounds like a win-win situation. But Bai Manli knows that given Li Zhenhua's personality and his wariness of her, the chances of him agreeing are extremely slim. However, it's worth a try. If successful, the Chamber of Commerce will gain a stable, high-end supply channel that it has always dreamed of, and its influence will no longer be limited to the commercial field.

The second path is more dangerous and more clandestine—using the findings of this investigation, through special channels, to "submit materials" to relevant departments that might be interested in Li Zhenhua.

Although the investigation previously organized by Manager Sun failed to uncover the core secret of Li Zhenhua's source of supplies, it was not without its gains. They traced several vague funds flowing through Hong Kong, which had a vague connection with Lou Bancheng; they recorded several unusual late-night solo trips by Li Zhenhua, with his destination pointing to a secluded area in the west of the city; they also collected some private discussions among the steel mill staff about Li Zhenhua's "extraordinary connections," which, though fragmented, were enough to paint a picture of a young cadre with "unusual power and a mysterious background."

If these materials are simply released, they lack impact and could easily backfire. But what if they are anonymously delivered through extremely secretive channels to surveillance or intelligence departments that are already interested in "rocket-promoted" cadres and "unexplained huge sums of money"? Especially at this crucial juncture when Li Zhenhua is about to receive a promotion and be transferred to the sensitive position at Ansteel?

This is like planting a hidden bomb. It may never explode, or it may be unearthed by someone with ulterior motives at some crucial moment in the future—such as when Li Zhenhua encounters difficulties at Ansteel, or when the political winds change—and become a weapon to attack him.

"Two paths, running parallel." Bai Manli finally made her decision, her voice calm and devoid of any emotion. "Uncle Sun, you make the arrangements yourself. I want to meet with Li Zhenhua. The location must be absolutely safe and private. We'll use the pretext of 'discussing potential cooperation in the Northeast market.' Our attitude must be sincere, and the terms must be generous, so he can see the Chamber of Commerce's sincerity and strength."

"At the same time, prepare a document. Don't make direct accusations, just list the suspicious facts—Li Zhenhua's unusual acquisition records of materials, his close dealings with Lou Bancheng, clues about unexplained fund flows, records of him going to unknown locations late at night, and... the unconventional methods he displayed when dealing with pressure from the Shanxi Chamber of Commerce. Use an objective tone and avoid subjective evaluations. Once prepared, anonymously deliver it through channel number three to..." She paused, then named a department.

Manager Sun's heart skipped a beat. Channel Three was the Chamber of Commerce's most secretive communication line, used only for the most critical intelligence. And that department... was indeed a unit that had paid close attention to certain abnormal phenomena in the economic field in recent years.

"Miss, isn't this too risky? What if the investigation leads to the Chamber of Commerce..."

"No," Bai Manli interrupted him, her tone firm. "Channel Three has never failed. And the materials must not contain any content directly related to the Chamber of Commerce. We just 'accidentally' collected some noteworthy information and felt that the relevant departments should know about it. Remember, our goal is to cause him trouble, delay or interfere with his promotion, not to take him down with us."

She walked back to her desk, picked up the report about the steel being seized again, and traced the words "unknown channels" with her fingertips, her eyes deep and unfathomable.

"Li Zhenhua, the faster you go and the higher you climb, the more people will be watching you. I want to see how long you can keep your secrets hidden."

The rumors that Li Zhenhua was about to be transferred to the position of director of Anshan Iron and Steel Plant were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating huge ripples within the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill.

Although the official transfer order had not yet been issued, there's no smoke without fire. Rumors of this level of transfer often come earlier and are more accurate than official documents. The factory leadership was the first to receive relatively definite information—Factory Director Yang had been subtly "given a heads-up" by the supervisor in charge after an internal meeting of the Ministry of Industry.

After the meeting, Director Yang returned to his office and sat alone for a long time. His feelings were complex. On one hand, he was genuinely happy for Li Zhenhua. This young man was someone he had personally promoted, who had been entrusted with a critical mission during the steel rolling mill's most difficult time. He had decisively reformed logistics, resolved the food crisis, and stabilized production—his contributions were undeniable. His current promotion was a testament to his abilities and a source of pride for the steel rolling mill.

On the other hand, he felt a deep sense of reluctance and worry. He was reluctant to see Li Zhenhua leave, as the previously well-organized logistics situation at the steel rolling mill would face further uncertainty. He was worried because Li Zhenhua was still too young. Ansteel was a far more complex and intertwined place than the steel rolling mill, and could a 21-year-old newly appointed plant manager really manage things? If something went wrong, not only would his own future be ruined, but it would also implicate Lin Jingyue, who had recommended him.

"Old Yang, have you heard?" Deputy Factory Director and Party Secretary Zhao pushed open the door, his face also bearing a complex expression. "That kid Li Zhenhua, is he really going to fly away? The director of Ansteel? My goodness, that's a huge leap!"

Factory Director Yang sighed and handed him a cigarette: "It's almost certain. General Manager Lin personally pushed for it."

Old Zhao lit a cigarette and took a deep drag: "He's really capable, and incredibly bold. But Old Yang, what will happen to the logistics team now that he's gone? Liu Lan, Qin Huairu, and those others—he's the one who raised them up; they only listen to him. And that silly Zhu, the head chef in the canteen—he's the one who keeps him in check. What if…"

Factory Director Yang was no less worried about this. Although Li Zhenhua hadn't been in the logistics system for long, he wielded immense authority, and his trusted key personnel were all promoted by him and remained loyal to him. His sudden transfer, if not handled properly, could easily lead to unrest among the staff, a breakdown in management, and could even affect the factory's normal production and supply.

"We need to have a serious talk with Zhenhua," Factory Director Yang said, stubbing out his cigarette. "He needs to make sure he does his last shift properly and that the handover is done thoroughly. The logistics system can't be in disarray."

The news spread even faster among the factory's middle-level managers and workers. Various emotions, including discussion, speculation, envy, and jealousy, intertwined.

The atmosphere was most delicate in the various departments of the logistics department.

When Liu Lan, the canteen director, heard the news, she was checking the grain and oil procurement plan for next month.

Her hand trembled, and the pen drew a long line on the paper.

My first reaction was disbelief, followed by immense disappointment and panic.

Li Zhenhua was her mentor, the one who single-handedly promoted her from an ordinary, bullied worker in the canteen to the position of director, and her biggest support in the factory. Now that he's gone, can she still hold onto her position?

Will those who were already jealous of her rapid promotion take this opportunity to cause trouble? Will the new leader trust and support her as much as Director Li did?

The guesthouse director, Qin Huairu, had even more complex feelings.

She thought things through more deeply than Liu Lan. Li Zhenhua was not only her superior, but also her secret information channel and protector.

The information she gathered for Li Zhenhua through the guesthouse, and the network of connections she built, were all based on Li Zhenhua's power.

Li Zhenhua's transfer means that the value of this line will be greatly reduced. Although her position as "director" will not be immediately shaken, her importance will inevitably decline.