Guide to Rising to Power as a Wife in Beijing's Elite Circle

Deep within a quiet courtyard in the western suburbs of Jingjing, bearing the sign of the Yongzhou Liaison Office in Beijing.

When the door to the small conference room was pushed open, Zhao Zhiqiang, who was sitting on the mahogany sofa anxiously fiddling with his prayer beads, subconsciously stood up.

He was in his early fifties, with a standard slicked-back hairstyle typical of local officials. He wore a navy blue jacket that covered his protruding belly, and the sandalwood bracelet on his wrist gleamed with oil. This was the standard attire of a local power holder.

But at this moment, the fine beads of sweat on his forehead glistened slightly under the warm light.

Fang Jingxiu walked in, followed by Secretary Qin, who had no expression on his face.

Instead of his executive jacket, he wore a dark gray cashmere cardigan over a neatly pressed white shirt, paired with dark trousers.

This outfit is less imposing than a formal jacket, but it carries a more oppressive feel of a private occasion, implying that the matter to be discussed is not within the framework of official business.

"Director Fang..." Zhao Zhiqiang forced a smile and extended his hand.

Fang Jingxiu ignored his outstretched hand and walked straight to the single sofa opposite him, sitting down. Secretary Qin silently closed the door and stood by it, like a statue.

"Sit down," Fang Jingxiu said, his voice not loud, but it made Zhao Zhiqiang's outstretched hand freeze.

Zhao Zhiqiang awkwardly withdrew his hand, sat down again, and tried to straighten his back, attempting to maintain some semblance of dignity as a local official.

"Director Fang, it's really kind of you to come all this way so late..."

"Regarding the Li family case," Fang Jingxiu interrupted him, getting straight to the point, "your men made moves against people they shouldn't have."

As he spoke, he pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. It wasn't the usual Zhonghua brand; it was a special white-packaged pack for Zhongnanhai.

He took out a match and tapped it lightly on the coffee table, his movements unhurried and deliberate. Secretary Qin stepped forward at the opportune moment and lit the match. Using a match instead of a lighter was a continuation of some old-fashioned practice, but at this moment it exuded a cold sense of ritual.

The orange glow of the cigarette illuminated half of Fang Jingxiu's face. He lowered his eyes, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and only looked up at Zhao Zhiqiang as he slowly exhaled the smoke.

That gaze was calm and serene, yet it dissected Zhao Zhiqiang's forced composure with the precision of a scalpel.

Zhao Zhiqiang's Adam's apple bobbed, and he subconsciously reached for his cigarette, then stopped. "Director Fang, this matter... this matter might be a misunderstanding. Our subordinates acted rashly, but... that female student incident was purely accidental, we absolutely did not..."

"An accident?" Fang Jingxiu flicked his cigarette ash, which fell silently into the crystal ashtray. "If the carotid artery is deviated by three millimeters, it's not an accident. It was an attempt to silence him."

His voice was very flat, as flat as if he were stating a weather forecast.

"Mr. Zhao, the old man of the Li family died of anger at the demolition site, the eldest son was in a car accident half a month later, and the youngest son, Li Cheng, committed suicide three days after you obtained custody. You are very familiar with this process."

A drop of sweat finally slid down Zhao Zhiqiang's forehead.

"Director Fang, you can't say things like that! Li Cheng committed suicide due to hallucinations caused by drug use; the Public Security Bureau has an autopsy report! As for the forced demolition, it was a key project for the city, legal and compliant. Some holdout residents just couldn't understand it..."

"The Wenbing Hotel in Yongzhou," Fang Jingxiu suddenly mentioned a seemingly unrelated location, "who took Li Cheng's son to the hotel's rooftop a week before Li Cheng's suicide?"

Zhao Zhiqiang's face turned pale instantly.

Fang Jingxiu took another drag of his cigarette. His face was somewhat blurred by the swirling smoke, but his eyes shone with an intimidating light.

"Using the child's life to exchange for the father's voluntary confession and suicide, and then holding the child in your hands as a last resort, Zhao Zhiqiang, you've got a very clever plan."

The room was so quiet that Zhao Zhiqiang's heavy breathing could be heard. He could no longer turn the prayer beads in his hand; he clenched them tightly in his palm.

"Director Fang," Zhao Zhiqiang's voice was dry, "that project... isn't just ordinary real estate. It's related to Yongzhou's industrial layout for the next five years; it's a landmark project registered with the province! And it involves more than just me, Zhao Zhiqiang! Is it worth lifting this lid for a female college student? I've investigated her; her parents are small business owners in Ningbo, they don't have any connections..."

"Background?" Fang Jingxiu suddenly chuckled very lightly, the smile not reaching his eyes, but instead causing the room temperature to drop several degrees. He stubbed out the half-smoked cigarette in the ashtray with a swift and decisive motion.

Then, he leaned forward slightly, clasped his hands together on his knees, a posture that made him look more like he was negotiating than lecturing.

"She's my backer, she's my wife."

Five words, seemingly light and airy, yet they struck Zhao Zhiqiang's heart like five heavy hammer blows.

Zhao Zhiqiang's pupils suddenly contracted, and he opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

"To be precise," Fang Jingxiu continued, his speech as steady as if he were reading a document, "she will be a member of the Fang family in the future. The knife on her neck wasn't for her, it was for my face, for the face of the Fang family."

Zhao Zhiqiang suddenly stood up, his movement so abrupt that his knee hit the coffee table with a dull thud.

"Impossible! Director Fang, this is no joke! What about the Liu family..."

"Sit down." Fang Jingxiu didn't raise his voice, he just raised his eyes.

There was no anger in his eyes, only a condescending and unquestionable sense of control.

Zhao Zhiqiang seemed to be pressed down by an invisible force. He froze for two seconds, then slumped back onto the sofa, his back feeling icy cold.

"The Liu family is the Liu family, and I am me." Fang Jingxiu leaned back on the sofa, his posture more relaxed, yet he appeared even more unfathomable.

"Mr. Zhao, you've been in this local area for so many years, you should understand one thing: some lines can't be crossed. If you do, you'll pay the price."

He paused, giving Zhao Zhiqiang time to process it. "Now I'll show you a way."

Zhao Zhiqiang suddenly looked up, a glimmer of hope igniting in his eyes.

"You'll have to take responsibility for Li Cheng's death," Fang Jingxiu said casually. "I'm not asking you to admit to murder, but to admit to coercion, dereliction of duty, and major violations in the project's operation. Forced demolition resulting in death, coercion leading to the suicide of the person involved—these charges are enough to keep you in jail for a few years, and enough to expose a corner of this project and give everyone an explanation."

"No!" Zhao Zhiqiang almost shouted, but his voice trembled. "Director Fang, that project can't be touched! It's backed by..."

"I know who's behind this." Fang Jingxiu interrupted him, his eyes suddenly sharp as knives. "In Jingjing City, there are very few people who can give you, Zhao Zhiqiang, such confidence. But you need to think clearly, I'm sitting across from you now, not him."

The meaning behind those words is very profound.

Zhao Zhiqiang felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

Fang Jingxiu knew about the protective umbrella behind him, yet he still dared to act. What does this mean?

This means that either Fang Jingxiu has absolute confidence in suppressing the opponent, or... this is part of a higher-level game, and Zhao Zhiqiang is just a piece on the chessboard that is about to be discarded.

"If I... if I admit it, my family..." Zhao Zhiqiang's voice trembled.

"Your daughter is studying for a Master's degree in Finance at Cambridge, and your son is settled in Australia." Fang Jingxiu recited the information as if he were reciting documents. "Your wife's four properties, two shops, and the shares you hold through offshore companies—these can be dealt with at our discretion after you voluntarily disclose them and cooperate actively. At least, we can preserve some basic dignity."

This is a blatant transaction.

He traded his political life and a few years of freedom for the safety of his family and most of his property.

Zhao Zhiqiang's face was ashen, his fingers nervously rubbing the prayer beads. "Even if I admit it... the people behind that project won't let it go. Director Fang, you're pushing me to my death..."

"So, it's not time to admit it now," Fang Jingxiu changed the subject.

Zhao Zhiqiang was stunned.

"Before the end of this year." Fang Jingxiu took out another cigarette, this time without lighting it, just playing with it between his fingers. "Go to the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection in your own name and explain the situation. The timing should be around the time her movie is scheduled for release."

"A movie?" Zhao Zhiqiang didn't react for a moment.

"Director Chen Nuo's film tells the story of the changes in urban villages and the fate of the lower classes," Secretary Qin added at the right moment by the door, his voice flat and emotionless.

Zhao Zhiqiang understood, a sense of absurdity washing over him. "You...you want to use my case to promote her movie?"

"Public opinion needs hot topics, anti-corruption needs role models, and her movie needs buzz," Fang Jingxiu said matter-of-factly. "A local power holder who fell from grace because of forced demolitions that led to deaths and the oppression of the people—this case, paired with her movie, will be very convincing. This is your chance to redeem yourself, and it's also the first stepping stone for her career."

Zhao Zhiqiang's throat tightened.

Only then did he truly realize how terrifying the young man in front of him was.

Not only would they use his downfall to quell the incident and warn their opponents, but they would also squeeze the last bit of value out of his political life, turning him into a stepping stone for their beloved woman.

Ruthless, too ruthless.

And the calculations were so calm and collected, so... perfectly natural.

"Then... what happens after I confess?" Zhao Zhiqiang heard his own dry voice. "The people behind the project won't let me off the hook."

"You'll only admit to what you're supposed to admit." Fang Jingxiu finally lit the cigarette, the flame flashing. "As for the flow of funds behind the project, the transfer of benefits, and who else is involved, these materials will be sent to the right places through 'anonymous reporting' before you go in. By then, there will be people more anxious than you."

Zhao Zhiqiang gasped.

This was meant to be used as a fuse to detonate an even bigger bomb. Fang Jingxiu, on the other hand, stood at a safe distance, watching the explosion and taking the opportunity to clean up the battlefield.

"Of course," Fang Jingxiu exhaled a puff of smoke, his tone softening slightly, as if offering a final reward, "If you cooperate well, someone will take care of things after you go in, and you won't suffer any unnecessary hardship. After you come out, your family's assets will be secure. In fact... if you perform well enough, you might even be able to start over in certain fields in the future."

Slap me, then give me a treat.

He used both kindness and severity, and his methods were so shrewd and experienced that he didn't seem like a young man under thirty at all.

Zhao Zhiqiang remained silent for a full minute.

Cold sweat had soaked the back of his shirt.

He knew he had no choice.

Although the path Fang Jingxiu offered was a dead end, it at least preserved his family and part of his foundation.

If he doesn't leave... given the energy and determination Fang Jingxiu displayed today, Zhao Zhiqiang will likely suffer an even worse fate, and his accomplices will be even more numerous.

He finally nodded, very slowly.

"I...I need time to prepare. Some materials, some arrangements..."

"One month." Fang Jingxiu stood up, ending the conversation. "Secretary Qin will keep in touch with you. Follow her instructions regarding what needs to be submitted and when."

He walked to the door, then stopped without turning around.

"Mr. Zhao, remember this." His voice came from the doorway, calm as if he were giving instructions, "This whole affair, from beginning to end, was your own sudden realization and voluntary confession. It has nothing to do with me or her. You were simply... deeply moved after watching a certain movie, and your conscience was awakened."

Zhao Zhiqiang forced a bitter smile. "I understand, Director Fang."

The door opened and then closed.

Fang Jingxiu stepped out of the courtyard, the cold night wind hitting his face. He stood by the car, looked up at the dark, starless night sky, and after a long while, finally opened the car door and got in.

Secretary Qin started the car and slowly drove away from this eerily quiet area.

In the back seat, Fang Jingxiu closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.

The coldness and assertiveness he displayed during negotiations faded away, and a hint of weariness crept onto his brow. But he quickly opened his eyes again, his gaze clear once more.

"Give Shen Rongchuan a call," he instructed. "You can start promoting Chen Nuo's movie. Tell him that it will be released at the latest by the end of the year, coinciding with a major social issue."

"Yes," Secretary Qin replied, then hesitated for a moment, "Director, what if the person behind Zhao Zhiqiang... retaliates?"

Fang Jingxiu watched the streetlights rushing past the window, the light and shadows alternating on his face.

"He won't." The voice was calm but firm. "A pawn destined to be sacrificed isn't worth his time. Besides... my father has leverage over him. This matter ends here."

Secretary Qin asked no further questions.

The car silently glided into the night, like a sword returning to its sheath.

Inside the carriage, Fang Jingxiu slowly crushed the unlit cigarette between his fingers. The tobacco fragments fell silently through his fingers.

He remembered the pale, paper-white face in the hospital room.

Soon, he thought.

He would uproot and crush every blood-stained thorn, one by one. Then, he would personally pave a smooth, level road for her, leading to the world she desired.

Even if that path requires stepping over the countless corpses of Zhao Zhiqiang.

He was willing to be the one wielding the knife, the one paving the way.

This was his choice, and also his authority—the most silent yet most violent use of it.