Chapter 2305 - Aftermath

"We are the principal cadres in Wuzhou right now. Let's not sit around sighing and groaning." Seeing them all succumbing to the slackness that follows extreme tension, Zhao Fengtian reminded them, "There's much to be done. We need to get started. Don't forget the grain fleet arrives tomorrow..." He checked his pocket watch. "It's already four in the morning. We don't have much time. Let's discuss, divide the work, and finish the cleanup as quickly as possible."

"The cleanup isn't the problem, and the grain transport isn't critical," Zhu Si said, frowning. "The problem is how do we report this to our superiors?"

This question struck at the heart of the matter. Whatever else happened, an incident of this magnitude in Wuzhou couldn't be concealed. A captured Senator was unprecedented. The higher-ups would inevitably take action. Zhao Fengtian knew that Elder Xie could no longer hold the position of Wuzhou Director—he would likely be "transferred back to Lingao for another appointment" or simply sent for "vacation-style recuperation."

They were all senior naturalized cadres and understood that even if a Senator committed an egregious blunder, the worst they faced was being stripped of authority and placed in idle retirement. But they themselves wouldn't be so fortunate.

Qian Duo, Zhao Fengtian, and Zhu Si all bore responsibility for this incident, though the extent varied. Comparatively speaking, Qian Duo was a Volte Army officer. The army always protected its own, and with the frontline campaigns needing men, he could likely be transferred there—and once at the front, even major scandals had a way of disappearing. But for local military and political cadres like Zhao Fengtian and Zhu Si, there would be no easy escape.

Zhao Fengtian pondered for a moment. "This matter is extremely serious. Chief Xie hasn't fully regained consciousness yet, and some decisions require his input. There's no need to be too anxious right now. Let's do the work at hand well and wait for him to wake up before discussing further. He's still the highest administrative authority in Wuzhou. The big decisions have to come from him. It wouldn't be appropriate for us to act unilaterally."

Everyone agreed. They divided the labor on the spot. Qian Duo would readjust the city's defenses and immediately send men to Sanhezu to assess the damage. Zhu Si would organize the battlefield cleanup and continue purging any possible remnant enemies in the city.

After they dispersed, Zhao Fengtian sent for Luo Yangming.

"This time, we have you to thank!" Zhao Fengtian clasped his hand warmly, momentarily at a loss for words. "Please, sit down!"

"I was lucky," Luo Yangming said. He didn't stand on ceremony, dropping into a chair with a bitter smile. "I gambled right."

"In the end, you were prepared and we were not. We grew complacent," Zhao Fengtian said. "What do we do now?"

The question carried considerable weight, but it was only natural for Zhao Fengtian to ask. If anyone had emerged from this affair as a beneficiary, it was Luo Yangming.

As a Hidden Cadre, Luo Yangming wasn't responsible for any specific decision-making work aside from reporting situations. Now, with the merit of bravely rescuing a Senator, he sat in an unassailable position.

After the incident, the Senate would inevitably send an investigation team. Luo Yangming's report would be the most critical piece of evidence. When dealing with follow-up issues, his opinion would naturally carry great weight. Zhao Fengtian mentally reviewed his work interactions and conversations with Luo Yangming and felt there were generally no problems.

Luo Yangming was no fool—he understood the implications behind Zhao Fengtian's words. After a moment's thought, he said, "This matter should still take Chief Xie's intentions as the guiding principle..."

Zhao Fengtian sighed. "That's precisely what worries me—Chief Xie's attitude."

The Liangguang campaign had been advancing triumphantly, with reports of victory everywhere. Though there was Yao unrest in Northern Guangdong and bandits causing trouble throughout the region, the overall situation was booming. No major blunders had occurred—until now. Wuzhou had genuinely produced a massive scandal. Once reported, Elder Xie's time in Wuzhou was finished; he would surely have to step down. In the future, within the Senate, he would likely become a marginalized figure. Based on Zhao Fengtian's experience, Elder Xie's first reaction upon waking would surely be to try to conceal this failure.

If Xie Erren chose to cover it up, the worst consequence of exposure would be getting sidelined—the same result as confessing frankly. So nine times out of ten, Elder Xie would attempt the cover-up.

But as subordinates, they would be put in an extremely awkward position. Chief Xie would certainly require them to cooperate in concealing the truth. But once exposed, the consequences would be unimaginable. The best outcome would be a transfer to Jeju Island or Taiwan Island—a far cry from being a cadre in Guangdong.

If they openly opposed him, even a sidelined Xie Erren, as an idle Senator, could still destroy a few naturalized cadres without breaking a sweat.

Furthermore, if they covered it up, Luo Yangming's great merit would vanish into thin air. How could he let that happen? He was a vertically managed cadre—a single official document could go directly to Lingao.

Having spent years in the business world and done underground work for a long time, Luo Yangming excelled at reading between the lines. Zhao Fengtian's worry was reasonable. As Xie Erren's direct subordinates, they were indeed caught between a rock and a hard place.

After considering the matter, he said, "Presumably, the Chief won't be that foolish. The commotion was too great—I'm afraid more than just a few people know..."

Zhao Fengtian nodded. "I thought of that too. It's just that when the time comes, the Chief's will—"

"We must naturally explain the full situation to the Chief," Luo Yangming said. "Presumably, the Chief understands the key considerations."

"That's the only course." Zhao Fengtian thought it over. Luo Yangming was right—persuading Elder Xie not to attempt a cover-up was the best policy.

"Right now, we should clarify the case as quickly as possible, especially the backgrounds of that Hao Ran, as well as Cai Lan and Jiang Qiuchan. We also captured some prisoners in the city—interrogate them together. Try to get the facts straight so we have something substantial to present when we report," Luo Yangming suggested.

"I'll instruct Zheng Ergen to handle this immediately. Even if they're made of iron, we'll pry their mouths open!" Zhao Fengtian said with grim determination.

Luo Yangming had been about to remind him not to kill them—corpses couldn't be explained to investigators—but on second thought, he swallowed the words. Instead he said, "There's one thing I need your help with."

"What is it?"

"The dock foreman Wen Tietou and his men made a tremendous contribution tonight. There were quite a few casualties. They aren't naturalized citizens—in the end, they did it for money. The pensions and rewards can't be skimped, or we risk alienating people."

"I can authorize that," Zhao Fengtian said. "But you must be responsible for ensuring their silence."

"Rest assured. I only told them we were rescuing some high official—not a Chief. They don't recognize Elder Xie anyway."

"Draft an application detailing how much money is needed and how to distribute it. Bring it to me, and I'll arrange it immediately." Zhao Fengtian smiled bitterly. "Another huge expense!"

Xie Erren "woke up" when the sky had grown fully light. In truth, he had regained consciousness on the stretcher, but he couldn't quite bring himself to sit up immediately and declare himself "fine."

A naturalized doctor examined his body and found only minor flesh wounds—nothing serious. Even so, he continued to feign grogginess, lying there until dawn before barely opening his eyes.

Seeing he had "awakened," the orderly watching over him immediately went out to notify the others. Before long, Zhao Fengtian arrived.

"Chief!" Zhao Fengtian hurried over and grasped his hand tightly. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, fine. Just a bit dizzy still." Xie Erren touched his head—there was indeed a lump there. He didn't know what had struck him, but it was now bandaged with gauze. He affected calm. "A minor injury. How is the situation in the city?"

"The infiltrators have been eliminated. We also captured quite a few prisoners and are interrogating them now. Everything is normal in the city—no main cadres were casualties."

"What about Sanhezu?"

"The enemy failed to capture it and has withdrawn. Qian Duo sent men to investigate the specifics."

"That's good."

After this, the two fell into awkward silence. Though both tactfully avoided mentioning Xie Erren's capture, each understood that there would have to be an explanation.

After a long pause, Zhao Fengtian whispered, "Chief, how do you think we should report this to our superiors?"

Xie Erren smiled bitterly. "How to report? Report it as it happened, of course. You people can't shoulder this responsibility."

"Chief..."

Now that the subject was broached, Xie Erren stopped being coy and vented his frustration. "Don't I know the nature of the Senate? Besides Luo Yangming, there's probably more than one plant in Wuzhou! Right now, they're probably burning the midnight oil writing their reports! Hmph, all-pervasive! Yet somehow they can't guard against Ming spies!"

Zhao Fengtian hastily interjected, "Chief! Chief!" He wanted to tell him not to speak recklessly, but how could one tell a Senator not to speak recklessly? If he kept venting about the Senate and let slip some of its secrets, the Elder might be fine, but could Zhao himself survive hearing them?

However, Xie Erren's lack of intent to cover up the incident brought him tremendous relief. Once the Elder's tone had calmed somewhat, Zhao Fengtian said, "Chief, the enemy was merely a small infiltration force conducting harassment. Though the commotion wasn't small, it didn't cause serious consequences. Moreover, it exposed the enemy's covert network in the city, removing a hidden threat. The gains outweigh the losses."

Xie Erren had been a reporter—he understood perfectly what Zhao Fengtian was suggesting. His heart was clear as a mirror: the typical routine of covering up failure and shifting blame probably wouldn't work this time. Too many people knew. It wouldn't be easy to muddy the waters completely. He could only make the matter of his capture look somewhat better.

He suddenly thought of Cai Lan, and a surge of hatred welled up. "Have the relevant suspects been arrested?"

"They've all been arrested." Zhao Fengtian saw the fierce light in his eyes and recognized his thoughts. "Interrogation is underway. I'll report to you once we've investigated thoroughly."

Xie Erren nodded silently, then asked:

"Who chased them to the city wall?"

"It was Luo Yangming, leading the dock porters."

"I didn't expect this Hidden Cadre to have such a trick up his sleeve. Truly a talent!" Xie Erren suddenly felt a wave of profound loneliness wash over him. Everything he had worked for these past days had turned to bubbles in the blink of an eye.

(End of Chapter)