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

Fang Jingxiu practically turned the simple rest room in the Yongzhou Military Region General Hospital into a temporary command post.

The makeshift bed was as clean as ever; he had hardly ever lain on it.

Most of the time, he sat at that hardwood desk, with encrypted documents sent by Secretary Qin spread out in front of him. His mobile phone was connected to a portable secure communication device, and his earpiece alternated between the low-voiced reports and requests for instructions from department heads, Director Ma of Yongzhou, and even some key contacts in Jingjing.

His voice remained steady and clear, and his instructions were concise and powerful, as if he were in a ministry office rather than a hospital ward filled with the smell of disinfectant.

Only the persistent bloodshot eyes and the occasional subtle movement of pressing the temples betrayed the exhaustion and intense mental tension from more than thirty hours of sleeplessness.

Secretary Qin went in and out several times, bringing essential items and taking away the documents he had reviewed. He kept his voice very low: "Director, the supplementary materials for the three departments' risk contingency plans for industrial upgrading are here. Deputy Director Li requests your final review. They may be discussed at the departmental meeting this afternoon."

"Director, the initial feedback from Director Ma is that Zhao Zhiqiang is emotionally unstable and keeps mentioning that the higher-ups will not ignore him. He may need some reassurance."

"Director, the internal reference summary you requested regarding the correlation between film and television subject censorship and major social events over the past five years has been found."

Fang Jingxiu dealt with each issue one by one, but every now and then his gaze would involuntarily drift toward the intensive care unit separated by a wall.

There, Chen Nuo's coma was a heavier burden than any document.

The attending physician had just finished another bedside assessment when he came out and was caught in Fang Jingxiu's gaze.

The doctor explained in detail: "Director Fang, Ms. Chen Nuo's hemoglobin level is currently around 75 g/L, slightly higher than upon admission, but still far below normal. Her organs are in a state of hypoperfusion, a typical manifestation of hemorrhagic shock, requiring continuous blood transfusions and nutritional support. Her coagulation function has largely returned to normal with the help of medication, but secondary infection remains the greatest risk, especially given the open wound on her neck. We monitor inflammatory markers every four hours. As for consciousness, her Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score has improved from an initial 5 to the current 8, indicating a localization response to painful stimuli, which is a good sign. However, the time window for the recovery of voluntary consciousness varies from person to person, possibly related to the mild but widespread brain damage caused by extreme ischemia and hypoxia. Further consultation and evaluation by a neurologist are needed."

Fang Jingxiu listened intently, each technical term transforming into a more specific danger signal in his mind.

"Brain damage?"

He grasped the key words, and his voice suddenly turned serious.

"Currently, it appears to be very mild, with no clear lesions seen on imaging. It is more likely to be functional and reversible. However, the longer the coma lasts, the greater the concern about the prognosis. We are currently using neuroprotective agents and awakening medications," the doctor said cautiously.

Fang Jingxiu's jawline tightened, he nodded, and didn't ask any further questions, only saying, "Use the best medicine, the best treatment plan."

Turning back to the table, the debate over a certain industrial policy on the phone seemed to still echo in his ears, but at this moment, those voices felt distant and noisy. Only the doctor's words about brain damage and the risk of infection pierced through his calm facade like an icicle.

Just then, the encrypted private phone vibrated again.

The word "father" flashing on the screen made Fang Jingxiu take a deep breath, quickly end the call he was on, and walk to a relatively quiet corner by the window to answer it.

Fang Jingxiu sat up, rubbed his throbbing temples, answered the call, and said in a low but clear voice, "Dad."

Fang Zhenguo's steady yet slightly weary voice came from the other end of the phone. The background was quiet, suggesting he was either in his study or early in the morning at the military base: "Jingxiu, are you still at the hospital?"

[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name: 10 ...

"Mm," Fang Jingxiu replied, his gaze unconsciously drifting towards the next room. "Keep watch."

"Is the person awake yet?"

"Not yet. She lost too much blood, and her body needs time to compensate. The experts say her vital signs are stable, but the recovery of her nervous system... depends on her own willpower."

Fang Jingxiu tried his best to use objective medical terminology, but when he mentioned willpower, his tone still revealed a hint of tension.

Fang Zhenguo remained silent for a few seconds on the other end of the phone, a silence that carried weight.

Then, he spoke, abruptly changing the subject: "This morning, the Bai family sent people over."

Fang Jingxiu's fingers tightened instantly as he gripped his phone, his knuckles turning white.

White House.

It wasn't the kind of overt pressure from a marriage alliance like the Liu family's, but a deeper, more clandestine family that was on par with, or even more established and secretive than, the Fang family in certain areas.

Although the old master of the Bai family has retired, his disciples and old friends are spread across key fields, especially in energy, heavy industry, and some local areas, where they have deep roots.

"It was Secretary Xu from Elder Bai's side who came," Fang Zhenguo continued, his voice devoid of emotion but every word clear. "He was very polite, bringing some old ginseng, saying he heard I've been worried lately and wanted to replenish my energy. We chatted for half an hour, and he didn't mention Yongzhou once, yet every sentence was about Yongzhou."

Fang Jingxiu understood.

Secretary Xu personally visited, bringing gifts as a gesture, but the conversation served as a warning.

The extent of the network of interests connecting the Bai family and Zhao Zhiqiang is now self-evident.

Fang Jingxiu's actions in Yongzhou, which involved overturning the table and taking action against Zhao Zhiqiang, were tantamount to touching the Bai family's money bag and even their power tentacles in that area.

"Secretary Xu's words are quite interesting," Fang Zhenguo said with a hint of cold sarcasm. "He said that the old leaders did not have an easy time building up the country, and now the situation is complicated. The younger generation of each family needs to pay more attention to balance and tacit understanding in their work. When sailing on the water, the worst thing is that someone who does not know how to swim will thrash around and capsize everyone's boat. He also said that some young people see the beautiful scenery on the shore and think that the sea is nothing special. Only when they actually go down do they realize that the undercurrents and whirlpools can be deadly."

The veiled meaning in those words couldn't be clearer.

He was criticizing Fang Jingxiu for flipping the table in anger over a woman.

Fang Jingxiu didn't speak, but his jawline was taut like a knife's edge.

Fang Zhenguo sighed, a sigh heavy with the weight of years of experience and political ups and downs: "Jingxiu, I do have some things that can make the Bai family uncomfortable, even crippling them. But you must understand, at our level, checks and balances are mutual. Just as Secretary Xu hinted, every circle has its own rules. Why are some things unspoken? Because often, interests are intertwined, and leverage is shared. Today you use A to pressure me, tomorrow I might use B to retaliate against you. And even worse…"

He paused, his tone becoming even lower and more serious: "Arrange some people, send some gifts, and lure the other party into the same gray or even black market. This isn't simple corruption; it's a distorted symbiotic system. Everyone's soaking in the dirty water, and no one can clean themselves up and report others. This is the strongest alliance, but also the most dangerous vortex. The Bai family… knows this all too well. Zhao Zhiqiang's forced demolition project, the equity labyrinth and the transfer of benefits behind it, ultimately point to several shell companies, which are intricately linked to funds controlled by the Bai family's direct line. And this is just what's on the surface."

Fang Jingxiu listened quietly. Every word his father said confirmed his previous judgment and made him see more clearly how huge and ferocious the iceberg was beneath the surface.

The Bai family is not merely a protective umbrella; they are likely one of the direct participants in shady interests and rule-makers.

Moving against Zhao Zhiqiang is like cutting off his claws and teeth. To truly shake the Bai family, a more comprehensive and lethal strategy is needed, while also guarding against a more frenzied counterattack from the other side.

"Are you worried that they will retaliate using unconventional methods? Or even... be detrimental to Chen Nuo?" Fang Jingxiu asked, voicing his deepest concern, his voice chilling to the bone.

"We have to be careful," Fang Zhenguo said bluntly. "That girl... Jingxiu, I've mentioned her to your mother a couple of times. It's not that we're not open-minded, it's just that her... background is too simple, and she's too young. Her perspective is completely different from yours and ours. You think she's brave and pure, but to us, she's just... a child admiring the sea from the shore, completely unaware of how many bloodthirsty sharks lurk in the water, unaware of how many deadly undercurrents lie beneath the seemingly calm surface. This incident is a lesson! She recklessly dabbled in that quagmire of Yongzhou, almost losing her life, and dragging you and our Fang family into a direct conflict with the Bai family!"

The father's tone was unusually emotional, carrying both worry and dissatisfaction.

It wasn't that he disliked Chen Nuo herself, but rather that he couldn't accept the uncontrollability and potential risks she represented as Fang Jingxiu's partner.

Fang Zhenguo saw no stable alliance in her, only a troublesome woman who required his son to expend enormous political resources and energy to protect her, and who might even cause trouble due to her naivety.

Fang Jingxiu understood all the unspoken words his father had left unsaid.

He remained silent, offering no rebuttal.

The father's concerns were justified. From the perspective of purely political family interests, Chen Nuo was indeed not a suitable choice.

But he couldn't measure her by what was appropriate.

"Dad," Fang Jingxiu began, his voice still steady, yet carrying an unwavering firmness, "I know better than anyone the sharks and undercurrents in the sea. She doesn't need to understand; it's enough that I do. This time it was my negligence; I didn't protect her properly. There won't be a next time."

He avoided directly arguing about the appropriateness of Chen Nuo's proposal, instead taking responsibility upon himself and making a promise of absolute protection. This was a response that was both gentle and firm.

Fang Zhenguo remained silent for a while on the other end of the phone, seemingly helpless about his son's almost obsessive insistence, or perhaps seeing a trace of his own youth in him.

Finally, he softened his tone: "Keep a close eye on your people. As for the Bai family, I'll teach them a lesson in my own way, letting them know where the Fang family's bottom line is. But you must also understand that politics is the art of compromise, and even more so, a game of power. Many people are watching your current position. Your request to stay in Yongzhou on leave has already been relayed to me. Three days, at most three days. After that, you must return to Jingjing, and you must not neglect any of your duties."

"Jingxiu, there's something else." Fang Zhenguo paused, seemingly making up his mind to ask a question.

"How far have things gone between you and that girl? You..." He was unusually hesitant to speak, but finally asked in a deep voice, "Have you slept with her?"

The air seemed to freeze instantly.

Caught off guard, Fang Jingxiu froze by the window.

He never expected his father to ask such a direct question. It went beyond ordinary concern, touching on the most private areas, and carrying a certain sharp scrutiny.

Seeing his son remain silent for a long time, Fang Zhenguo's tone suddenly became harsher, filled with obvious anger and disbelief: "Fang Jingxiu! Speak! Don't tell me... she's only twenty-two! Are you even human? Huh? This is an old cow eating young grass! What will people think of us! What about the reputation of the Fang family?!"

The phrase "an old cow eating young grass" struck Fang Jingxiu's eardrums like a whip with barbs.

The father's voice rose slightly with anger, and came through the receiver with a stinging quality.

This is not only a moral condemnation of his personal behavior, but also lays bare the potential risks to public opinion and the potential damage to the family's reputation that this relationship may bring.

In the father's view, the age gap was not only a personal issue, but could also become a weapon for political enemies to attack, and evidence of improper conduct and moral failings.

He remained silent, but this silence was no longer one of being unable to answer; rather, it was a heavy, defiant calm.

He was unable and unwilling to offer his father any explanation or promise on this matter.

This was the most private territory between him and Chen Nuo, where no one, not even his father, was allowed to interfere or judge.

His silence clearly further angered Fang Zhenguo, but it also made the old general realize that his son's determination was stronger than he had imagined.

Finally, filled with anger and disappointment, Fang Zhenguo snorted heavily, said nothing more, and hung up the phone.

The receiver was busy.

Fang Jingxiu slowly put down his phone and stood motionless by the window. The morning light had fully illuminated the courtyard, but it couldn't penetrate the deep darkness in his eyes.