They surrounded me right after the breakup.

Shen Qingning deliberately dragged out the word "effort".

Xia Yutong wasn't stupid; she understood the meaning behind his words.

He stretched his leg under the table and stepped on Shen Qingning's foot.

Xia Guodong sighed.

"Since you've worked so hard, the results deserve to be reported properly."

"Professional matters should be handled separately."

"President Jiang, my daughter has been spoiled since she was a child, and she has a stubborn temper."

Please bear with me!

Jiang Han quickly waved his hand: "Director Xia, you flatter me! I'm very satisfied."

As he spoke, he secretly winked at Xia Yutong.

Don't be too satisfied!

A capable yet challenging legal professional.

The courtroom and the courtroom are both battlefields.

Her feet were unusually small, and pink and tender.

Pinch it...

Jiang Han's thoughts wandered aimlessly, and he was startled by his own ideas.

Why do I think of these strange things?

Could it really have been cultivated?

Just as the group was each lost in their own thoughts...

Suddenly, Fang Chongwen pushed the door open and came in.

They didn't knock on the door, and even forgot to greet Xia Guodong.

Jiang Han had known him for so long, but he had never seen him with this expression before.

Fang Chongwen is the kind of person who would make a cup of tea even if the sky were to fall.

"Chairman Jiang, there's been an accident at the film studio construction site."

The meeting room fell silent instantly.

Jiang Han raised his chin, signaling him to continue.

"The construction team just called; their excavator unearthed several pieces of broken pottery at the foundation of the actors' apartment."

"Old Zhou picked it up and looked at it; it's probably been around for a few years."

"He has stopped all machinery and reported the matter to the district cultural relics bureau."

Fang Chongwen handed over the phone.

Several photos on the screen.

The bluish-gray pottery shards were covered in dirt, one of which had been wiped clean.

The surface has very clear cloud and thunder patterns, with neat and fine lines.

I looked at the enlarged photo of Jiang Han for quite a while.

"Old Zhou said that he had unearthed a group of Han Dynasty tombs when he was working on an engineering project in Xi'an."

"That construction stoppage lasted a long time, and the developer ended up losing everything."

"He suspects there might be more than just pottery shards below; there could be a burial complex."

Fang Chongwen put his phone away.

"The archaeological exploration period can be as short as three to six months or as long as a year."

"The foundation of the actors' apartments is located directly above this area."

Xia Guodong picked up his glasses from the table, put them on, and frowned.

"Article 32 of the Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics clearly stipulates this."

"Any organization or individual who discovers underground cultural relics during construction must immediately stop construction."

"Protect the site and notify the cultural relics administration department."

"This is a mandatory clause; there is no room for leniency."

Xia Guodong opened the legal compilation app on his phone and quickly swiped the screen.

Xia Yutong stood up and leaned over to look at where her father was pointing.

His gaze was calm yet sharp when he looked up.

The allure of last night is gone.

"The force majeure clause may not be able to cover losses incurred during the work stoppage."

"It depends on the specific wording of the construction contract."

"If archaeological exploration is not explicitly included in the contract, both the insurance company and the contracting party may refuse to pay compensation."

"I suggest that the legal department first review all the disclaimers in the contract."

"Compile a list of risk exposures as soon as possible."

Fang Chongwen put his phone on the table and turned to Jiang Han.

"The people from the Cultural Relics Bureau will probably arrive as soon as they start work tomorrow."

"The leader is Chen Huaqiang, who has worked in the cultural relics system for most of his life."

"Notoriously incorruptible and unyielding, neither soft nor hard tactics can sway him."

"This person is very difficult to deal with, but anyone who truly understands the value of archaeology will respect him."

Shen Qingning continued to add.

"The impact of the work stoppage extends beyond the construction period."

"Once this news gets out, competitors will definitely amplify the negative expectations."

"Lu Chengze of United Capital has been making a lot of shady moves lately."

Jiang Han rested his chin on his hand: "Damn it, they tried to cause trouble when we were discussing the copyright of The Three-Body Problem."

Xia Guodong had the widest network of contacts and offered suggestions on the spot.

"I've dealt with Chen Huaqiang before, during the ancient city renovation project."

"Gifts and favors are useless, but he has great respect for people who know the rules."

"When you talk to him, don't beat around the bush; being direct and honest is more effective."

It happened suddenly.

But Jiang Han had thought things through very clearly at every step.

"The work stoppage area should be fenced off first, and we must follow the requirements of the Cultural Relics Bureau. Not a single shovel is allowed to be moved."

Fang Chongwen nodded and had already sent a message to Lao Zhou on his phone.

"Can the foundation of the actors' apartments be moved eastward?"

Jiang Han turned to look at Xia Guodong.

"The foundation was pressing down on the site. Once it's moved, the archaeological team can continue their work as usual."

"Our project won't take long."

Xia Guodong pulled out a copy of the planning bureau's approval document and compared the dimensions to the blueprint.

"The setback distance of the foundation needs to be re-approved by the planning bureau."

"We can contact them to see if we can use the green channel."

"If we can move back to within the range allowed by the green space quota, the approval cycle can be shortened."

Xia Yutong stood silently to the side, flipping through the compilation of laws and regulations.

They are trying to find a breakthrough from a legal perspective.

"There is another way to go: a cultural preservation compensation mechanism."

"According to Article 27 of the Regulations for the Implementation of the Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics."

"If a construction company suffers significant losses due to the protection of cultural relics, it may apply for financial compensation."

"But this process requires joint approval from the cultural heritage bureau and the finance bureau."

"The cycle is not short either, so it can only be considered as a backup plan."

"Besides, I share the same opinion as my dad."

"Chen Huaqiang is the kind of person who won't listen to either soft or hard tactics."

"You need to make him feel that there is a possibility of a win-win situation."

"He was only willing to sit down and talk because he felt that you were seriously considering the long-term value of cultural relic preservation."

Jiang Han picked up the car keys on the table and prepared to head to the scene.

"The cultural relics must be protected, but the construction schedule cannot be stopped."

"The public relations department's statement must be drafted tonight."

"Send it first thing tomorrow morning."

"Yutong, you're in charge of the contract terms. Give me a report tomorrow morning."

"Qingning, keep an eye on the media's movements."

"Not a single word is allowed to leak out before Xingyue officially issues a statement."

He walked to the door, when Shen Qingning suddenly called out to him.

Finger swipes across the phone screen.

Let me show you the push notification I just received.

The latest financial news flashes pop up on the phone screen.

The title is very eye-catching.

Underground cultural relics have been discovered at the construction site of Xingyue Film and Television City, which may lead to the project being suspended.

Push notifications from local financial media outlets.

The source is an anonymous insider.

Shen Qingning turned her phone upside down and placed it face down on the table.

"Lu Chengze's men have already made their move."

"This press release wasn't based on a tip that the reporters uncovered themselves; someone proactively fed it to them."

"He leaked the information before you could resolve the issue through negotiation."

"I don't want to give you and the Cultural Heritage Bureau a chance to sit down and talk properly."

"We must use public opinion to force the cultural relics bureau to immediately issue a formal stop-work order."

Jiang Han acted decisively, making a decision without hesitation.

"Let's ignore that for now, keep an eye on the comments section, and adjust our stance accordingly."

"We only have one message to convey."

"Xingyue is cooperating with the cultural relics department and has not stopped construction; it has only adjusted the construction schedule."