Chapter 990 - 955: Understanding the Situation

Mrs. Zhang said, "Xiaotao, stop talking nonsense. This has nothing to do with you. Hurry up and go to class."

"Not going!"

Xu Chunliang said, "Aunt Zhang, you keep saying your son was murdered. Do you have any evidence?"

Mrs. Zhang pursed her thin lips and gestured for them all to leave. She only wanted to speak to Qin Zhengyang about the matter. The elderly woman was educated and quickly figured out that the others were irrelevant. Qin Zhengyang was the main person; he was Secretary Wang’s assistant, and only by telling him the situation could it be reported to Secretary Wang.

Qin Zhengyang waved his hand, signaling the others to leave first.

Liang Hongtao did not want to leave, but seeing his grandmother’s firm attitude, he had no choice but to leave with Xu Chunliang.

Xu Chunliang glanced at Liang Hongtao. High school students nowadays all wear school uniforms; one can mostly judge their family’s financial condition from their shoes.

Liang Hongtao wore a pair of fake Putian Yeezy shoes. After his father’s death, he followed his mother in remarriage. Initially, his stepfather treated him fairly well, but after his mother gave birth to a younger brother, both parents started neglecting him. When he was in middle school, they sent him to live with his grandmother under the pretense that it was closer to school.

In high school, Liang Hongtao stayed at school, and even when he went home on weekends, he wouldn’t go to his mother’s. His mother gave him only five hundred yuan monthly for living expenses and repeatedly told him to spend sparingly, in stark contrast to the love and care given to his half-brother.

Fortunately, his grandmother cherished him. Standing outside alone, Liang Hongtao occasionally glanced inside, while Xu Chunliang held an umbrella to shield him from the drizzling rain.

Liang Hongtao glanced at Xu Chunliang and politely said thank you.

Xu Chunliang smiled, "What grade are you in?"

"Senior year."

Xu Chunliang said, "At Dongzhou Third Middle School? We’re alumni."

Liang Hongtao said, "Did you graduate from Third Middle School too?"

Xu Chunliang nodded, "Is senior year hard?"

Liang Hongtao said, "It’s manageable. The recent summer break has extra classes. Someone informed me to come pick up my grandma."

"Living with your grandma?"

Liang Hongtao nodded.

Xu Chunliang said, "It’s similar for me. I grew up living with my grandfather, just the two of us relying on each other."

Xu Chunliang’s words instantly brought them closer. Fellow sufferers in life, why should they be strangers?

Liang Hongtao said, "Uncle, you’re not going to trouble my grandma, are you?"

Xu Chunliang laughed, "No, as long as the situation your grandma reported is true, we will certainly address it seriously."

Liang Hongtao sighed, "My grandma has had it tough. She’s strived so hard to raise me, never mentioning my dad. She’s gone through so much, her mind’s a bit muddled. If she made any mistakes, please don’t blame her."

Xu Chunliang patted his shoulder. It seemed this boy didn’t believe his grandma either, but now Xu Chunliang felt there must be some truth to this matter. First, Three Two Three had evidence intended for Su Qing, and after causing a commotion last night, now Mrs. Zhang was publicly protesting.

There’s no way Three Two Three and Mrs. Zhang know each other, but is the person providing material to Three Two Three the same one encouraging Mrs. Zhang? Whoever this person is, they are purposefully focusing everyone’s attention on this old case at Jianjie Square.

Xu Chunliang’s gaze turned to Jianjie Square in the distance, the commercial plaza located at the core of Dongzhou City. It was once a landmark of Dongzhou commerce, but as new commercial centers emerged, Jianjie Square’s glow faded.

Tang Jingwei, the boss behind the scenes, is currently facing difficulties. Jiayue Department Store is not doing much better than Huayuan Group.

Mrs. Zhang talked with Qin Zhengyang for nearly half an hour before Qin Zhengyang escorted her out. He asked Liang Hongtao to take his grandma home, and Mrs. Zhang’s emotions had calmed.

Standing shoulder to shoulder watching Mrs. Zhang walk away, Xu Chunliang asked, "How was it?"

Qin Zhengyang said, "The elderly woman didn’t provide any evidence, just insisted that a tomb was discovered during Jianjie Square’s construction, and the construction party covered it up to avoid delaying progress. She claimed her son, Liang Zhigang, was murdered for pursuing justice."

At this point, a police officer surnamed Liu approached, smilingly speaking to Qin Zhengyang: "Secretary Qin, I just checked. Mrs. Zhang suffered some shock in her early years, and her mind hasn’t been quite right. I suspect she invented this story."

Qin Zhengyang said, "We should still be cautious. Since the public reported this situation, we must treat it carefully. Even if it turns out to be false, we need to provide evidence to convince her."

The officer nodded repeatedly.

Qin Zhengyang headed towards the conference hall.

Xu Chunliang said, "I think there might be more to this matter."

Qin Zhengyang glanced at him and said, "Where did you see there’s more to this?"

Xu Chunliang didn’t want to involve Su Qing, and he didn’t mention Three Two Three’s issue either. Three Two Three had already sobered up today and was tight-lipped about what had happened. It seemed yesterday’s beating had scared him into silence, as Three Two Three wouldn’t risk getting involved in unnecessary matters over a personal vendetta.

Xu Chunliang said, "Why don’t we think about why Mrs. Zhang is here seeking justice?"

Qin Zhengyang said, "Her words are evasive, incoherent, and I really suspect she has some mental issues. Plus, she doesn’t have any evidence."

Xu Chunliang said, "If, and I’m just saying if, her son took some items from an ancient tomb years ago and gave them to her, do you think she would bring them out as evidence?"

Qin Zhengyang frowned and said, "If that’s true, her son would be committing a crime."

Xu Chunliang said, "Don’t you find this a bit strange? It’s obvious someone is instructing this elderly woman behind the scenes. I suspect this is just the beginning and that more incidents are about to happen."

Qin Zhengyang said, "If what she says is true, then this matter will involve a lot of people."

Xu Chunliang said, "How do you plan to report this to Secretary Wang?"

Qin Zhengyang thought for a moment and said, "I’ll report it truthfully; how to handle it will depend on Secretary Wang’s decision."

This unexpected incident made the opening ceremony less than perfect. Wang Jianming hastily concluded his speech and accompanied Xing Wenhua to tour the site where the Confucius Temple will be built. The previous Confucius Temple stood here, and the only surviving building is the rundown Dacheng Hall. The temple’s reconstruction project will be based on historical records.

Not just in Dongzhou, but all over the country there’s a trend for reconstruction and imitation. At least Dongzhou Confucius Temple has historical evidence to follow; some places have no relics at all yet insist on constructing an ancient city. Following the craze over ancient towns, a new wave of enthusiasm for ancient cities has emerged, but genuinely authentic ancient cities are few.

Xing Wenhua mentioned this specifically while chatting with Wang Jianming, who smiled and explained that they’re not building an ancient city but rather restoring history as accurately as possible.

Xing Wenhua said, "Dongzhou has always been a strategically important place; there aren’t many historical relics left above ground."

Wang Jianming detected the implication in Xing Wenhua’s words.

Secretary Zhou said on the side, "If Dongzhou’s historical central axis can be completed, its tourism development will surely reach a higher level. Comrade Jianming has a long-term vision."

Wang Jianming smiled, "I couldn’t have done it without Secretary Zhou laying such a good foundation for me."

This made Secretary Zhou very pleased; he realized Wang Jianming’s ability to succeed him was not merely due to background connections.

Xing Wenhua said, "The Confucius Temple’s construction must ensure simultaneous preservation and development; there are many underground artifacts in Dongzhou, so try to avoid new damage caused by construction."

Wang Jianming nodded, "Rest assured, Secretary Xing." He understood that Xing Wenhua was still aware of the earlier petition incident. Since his arrival in Dongzhou, things have been generally calm, yet he felt increasingly uneasy, sensing undercurrents beneath the surface calm.

On the way back in the car, Qin Zhengyang didn’t proactively mention Mrs. Zhang’s issue. After accompanying Wang Jianming for some time, he had gained considerable insight into Secretary Wang’s personality. When Secretary Wang didn’t ask, it’s best not to bring it up, especially since today’s incident at the venue wasn’t pleasant.

Wang Jianming didn’t say much on the way back, and once in the office, Qin Zhengyang made him a cup of tea and delivered it to his desk. Only then did Wang Jianming say, "What? If I don’t ask, you’re not going to mention it?"

Qin Zhengyang smiled, "I was just about to talk."

Wang Jianming said, "Go ahead, in modern society, if I don’t pay attention to calls for justice, what will the people think of us? If a government official doesn’t serve the people, they might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes."

Qin Zhengyang admired Wang Jianming more and more. Unlike other leaders who talk more and do less, Wang Jianming would certainly follow through on his words. Dongzhou was fortunate to have someone like him as Secretary.

Qin Zhengyang briefly and clearly reported the situation he’d gathered. After listening to Mrs. Zhang ramble for half an hour, he summarized and condensed the information to ensure the leadership understood the details without taking up too much valuable time. This was his duty as a secretary.

Wang Jianming said, "She didn’t present any evidence?"

Qin Zhengyang replied, "She might not have any evidence, or she might have evidence but isn’t willing to present it."

Wang Jianming fixed his gaze on Qin Zhengyang, and Qin Zhengyang understood his intention—to continue speaking.

Qin Zhengyang said, "I discussed with Xiaoxu. This Mrs. Zhang might have some evidence in her possession. If what she’s reporting is true, the most likely evidence she has is those privately concealed artifacts. She worries revealing them will cause trouble for herself and might even impact her grandson."

"Afraid it might affect his political review," Wang Jianming said with fingers interlocked.

Qin Zhengyang nodded, "But she isn’t resigned to her son’s death and wants justice, which is why she appears so mysterious."

Wang Jianming asked, "What do you think?"

Qin Zhengyang said, "The greatest fear in situations like this is the expansion of influence. After speaking to Mrs. Zhang for a while, if we emphasize her grandson’s future prospects, I estimate she won’t continue the commotion. But this matter won’t die down due to her choice; she went public also because someone advised her."

Wang Jianming asked, "Who is behind it?"