After leaving the Municipal Committee, Wang Jun immediately ordered Cheng Zhuang to drive to the city government.
Just as he knocked on the mayor’s office door, he saw Wu Liang pressing an ice pack against his swollen cheek.
Upon seeing Wang Jun, Wu Liang instantly flew into a rage.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Such an important ceremony, and you didn’t even do the preparatory work! Why are you even serving as the secretary of the County Committee?!"
Perhaps his shouting pulled at his injured cheek.
He hurriedly pressed the ice pack back onto his face.
Lowering his head, Wang Jun explained.
"This issue does have some responsibility on my part."
"What do you mean by that?"
"County Magistrate Huang has been personally overseeing the coal mining operations, and I haven’t been involved at all. Regarding yesterday’s protests by the villagers, I only reminded County Magistrate Huang about the potential risks, but perhaps he didn’t take it seriously, which led to today’s situation."
These words left Wu Liang momentarily speechless.
He had intended to vent all his anger on Wang Jun, but now it seemed that Wang Jun wasn’t the one at fault.
Frustrated, he could only ask grudgingly, "Do you have anything else to say? If not, then beat it!"
Wang Jun quickly asked, "Given the severity of today’s incident, shouldn’t we consider halting the coal mining temporarily?"
"Halt it for what? Just because of a bunch of troublemakers? Developing heavy industry is Qingshi County’s top priority. If we retreat at the first sign of trouble, how are we supposed to carry on with future work?"
"Understood, I’ll take care of it."
"Take care of what? You understand nothing!"
Wu Liang, growing increasingly infuriated, slammed a hand on the desk and bellowed.
"Make sure you detain those bastards who participated in today’s public brawl and bring them to justice! Otherwise, you can kiss your position as the secretary of the County Committee goodbye!"
"Rest assured, Mayor, I’ll ensure it’s done!"
Once Wang Jun had left, Wu Liang still felt uneasy.
He immediately picked up the phone and called Huang Ming, who was recovering in the hospital.
"You must find a way to round up those troublemakers for me! We need to set an example and make them fear the consequences of opposing the government!"
Huang Ming didn’t dare utter a word in disagreement, replying with repeated assurances.
That night at home, Wang Jun recounted everything about the people he had spoken to that afternoon and the events that had unfolded to Chen Bin.
He then asked, "Xiao Bin, what do you think Xu Tai’s comments really meant?"
After a brief moment of thought, Chen Bin asked.
"Is there any animosity between him and Wu Liang?"
"I wouldn’t know about that."
"Everyone knows Wu Liang is Huang Ming’s backer, but after today’s incident, Xu Tai isn’t supporting continued coal mining operations anymore. What do you think that indicates?"
After pondering for a long time, Wang Jun simply shook his head.
At that moment, Zhao Xinmei came out of the kitchen holding a plate of fruit.
"You two are always talking about work nonstop. Come on, have some fruit."
Wang Jun shot her a glare and snapped impatiently.
"This is men’s business, women shouldn’t meddle. Go back to your room!"
It was obvious Wang Jun was still upset over her pregnancy.
Zhao Xinmei said nothing further, swaying her graceful hips as she retreated into the master bedroom.
Chen Bin picked up a juicy pear and took a hard bite before continuing.
"Xu Tai is clearly trying to stir the pot. He knows Wu Liang would never agree to halting Huang Ming’s operations but wants to push you into making that move, deliberately intensifying the conflict so he can profit as a bystander."
Furrowing his brows slightly, Wang Jun appeared puzzled.
"I don’t have near enough influence to take on the mayor. Doesn’t he realize that?"
"Of course he does, but on paper, you’re backed by the Municipal Committee’s secretary. Who knows if someone powerful is secretly supporting you? That’s why he wants you to confront the mayor."
"And what would he gain out of this?"
"As things stand, becoming the mayor seems entirely plausible for him. But for that to happen, Wu Liang would have to step aside. If the county’s problems spiral out of control, both Huang Ming and Wu Liang would be dragged down."
Understanding dawned on Wang Jun, and he nodded.
"So the reason Xu Tai is concerned about Wu Liang’s injuries is to gauge whether he’s still fit to remain as mayor, correct?"
Now that he understood the situation, Wang Jun grew restless once again.
"So what should we do next?"
"First, align ourselves with Xu Tai. If Huang Ming manages to resolve the issues, we won’t lose anything. If he fails, he’ll face severe consequences, while you’ll only bear an insignificant share of the blame."
Meanwhile, over at the County People’s Hospital, Huang Ming’s hospital room was filled with sighs.
"You mean to tell me that two people from the environmental department happened to be conducting an awareness campaign in Qingshi County and unintentionally incited those troublemakers?"
"Yes," Xie Shan nodded.
Huang Ming was displeased with the explanation.
He pressed further, "Could they possibly have been acting under someone’s orders?"
"I don’t think so. Their job is to spread awareness about environmental issues, and I’ve investigated their connections—there’s no link with Wang Jun."
Suppressing his simmering anger, Huang Ming coldly replied.
"Then arrest a few of the agitators as examples. The villagers must learn that defying the government is a death wish! As for those two environmentalists, detain them and rough them up a bit, just in case someone is pulling strings behind the scenes."
"But they’re representatives of their department. If we mess with them, might it escalate into a bigger issue?"
"What’s to fear? If anything happens, I’ll take the heat. Just do as you’re told!"
With a crisp acknowledgment, Xie Shan took a few trusted subordinates, randomly rounding up a handful of villagers involved in the day’s disturbances based on the investigation findings.
Then, he brought the two environmentalists to a nearby hotel.
Xie Shan grabbed one environmentalist by the hair and barked fiercely.
"Speak—was today’s chaos instigated by Wang Jun?"
The man trembled uncontrollably, stammering, "Who is Wang Jun? I don’t even know him."
"Damn it! I’ll make sure you don’t!"
Mid-sentence, Xie Shan raised his hand and delivered a swift slap to the man’s face.
The slap was so forceful that his face immediately swelled with redness.
But Xie Shan wasn’t finished yet. He ordered his men to unleash a brutal barrage of punches and kicks on both environmentalists.
He knew full well they didn’t know Wang Jun. His actions were purely out of revenge.
After all, as the deputy chief of the county’s police bureau, having been slapped in public was a humiliation he couldn’t stomach.
The beating lasted a solid ten minutes, leaving the two environmentalists motionless on the floor.
Feeling a hint of panic, Xie Shan wasted no time. He drove the two victims to the hospital.
After an examination, the doctors confirmed that they had merely been knocked unconscious and weren’t in any real danger.
This news allowed Xie Shan to breathe a small sigh of relief.
He immediately turned to his subordinates and sternly warned.
"What happened just now must remain utterly confidential. If anyone dares leak a word, I won’t let them off!"
The men repeatedly nodded, too afraid to utter anything else.
Late into the night, Xie Shan assigned two men to stay behind while the rest headed home.
As the individuals were driving back, one of the officers sneaked a phone call to Lin Hai.
"Chief, we have a major situation on our hands!"
What followed was a detailed report of everything that had transpired, down to the last detail.
Lin Hai wasted no time, immediately reporting the incident to Wang Jun.
At that moment, Wang Jun was in the midst of a heated argument with Zhao Xinmei.
He held a report of an abortion procedure in his hand, gripping Zhao Xinmei by the wrist as he growled menacingly.
"Speak. Whose child was this?!?"