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The evidence against Josen is solid, with the DV video seized at the scene serving as proof. According to normal judicial procedures, Josen seems to be inescapably doomed this time. If the charges of attempted rape, illegal possession of firearms, kidnapping, and assaulting a police officer are confirmed, Josen's promising youth will be spent in prison.
However, this is merely speculation based on the current laws of Heavenly Pride Nation and standard judicial processes. The final outcome will depend on who possesses greater influence. The news of Josen's arrest by the Longchuan City Public Security Bureau was already on the breakfast table of the Qiao Family the next morning. Josen's mother, He Zhixiang, is not only the First Lady of Binhai Province but also a mid-level official in the Binhai Province Administration for Industry and Commerce. Although her husband, Qiao Qiang, is the Provincial Party Secretary of Binhai Province, He Zhixiang's position was achieved through her own abilities and skills, having held it even before Qiao Qiang was appointed to his current role.
He Zhixiang is an adept manager; it can be said that Qiao Qiang owes much of his current status to her. She not only fulfills her duties as a supportive wife to a high-ranking official with great caution and discretion but also possesses a rare political acumen. At critical moments, she has been able to assist Qiao Qiang with strategies and public relations efforts, which has contributed significantly to his smooth career progression. In many ways, He Zhixiang can be seen as Qiao Qiang's advisor and political strategist.
Qiao Qiang understands He Zhixiang's contributions to his success. Over the years, despite holding a high position, he has never been involved in any scandalous affairs, which reflects his gratitude towards He Zhixiang. After all, it is quite challenging for men in politics to resist such temptations. However, this admirable tradition has not been passed down to his son; Josen is quite the opposite—indulging in pleasures and extravagance. He finds it impossible to sleep without several young and beautiful women attending to him every night. Qiao Qiang has heard about this behavior but has not intervened; deep down, he harbors a twisted sense of imbalance—what he lost, he hopes his son can reclaim.
Last time in Longchuan, Josen nearly faced severe consequences due to Shen Dahai's daughter. If it weren't for He Zhixiang's efforts in applying pressure and actively seeking legal counsel, he likely wouldn't have been released so easily. Even after his release, he was taken to a military camp by Shen Dahai's son and endured several days of hardship. Eventually, it was He Zhixiang who sent Wang Jingwei to directly pressure the Shen Family for Josen's release. With their precious son tormented by the Shen Family like this, the Qiao Family officially became enemies with them.
Little did they know that their precious son had once again acted foolishly towards a girl from the Shen Family after such a long time. This time there is undeniable evidence against him; applying pressure or maneuvering will be much more difficult now. It may require some forceful tactics to resolve this situation. He Zhixiang worries that her son will suffer inside and discusses with Qiao Qiang: "Old Qiao, you need to think of a way quickly! Our son is only thirty; we can't let this ruin his future!"
Of course, Qiao Qiang is concerned too; however, his worries extend beyond just Josen's future—his own career is at stake as well. In these critical times, even issues involving relatives or friends can affect one's promotion prospects; how much more so when it involves his own son? If local law enforcement truly pursues Josen relentlessly and uncovers further issues along the way, not only will his promotion be jeopardized but even his current position could be at risk. Therefore, saving his son is imperative; however, they need a foolproof plan because acting rashly could put him in a passive position. Taking a sip of milk, Qiao Qiang says: "Do you think I'm not anxious? But what good does being anxious do? This matter isn't simple at all. If I'm not mistaken, many eyes are currently watching us. Any slight move on our part could provide others with ammunition against us; at that point, we might find ourselves in dire straits."
"Are you referring to the Shen Family?" He Zhixiang asks.
"Definitely the Shen Family," Qiao Qiang replies slowly while analyzing further. "But besides them, there are likely others keeping an eye on this situation."
"Others? Who else? Is there someone with an even stronger background than the Shen Family?" He Zhixiang questions curiously; all she knows is about the Shen Family. Although Shen Dahai has significant military connections, military forces and local authorities are not part of the same system and typically do not intervene directly in such matters.
"Do you know who Kosen has fallen victim to twice?" Qiao Qiang states: "That person is Xin Yi. His public identity is an investor in Longchuan Sanhu Group, but his background remains a mystery. Where did this young man under thirty acquire such massive funds to establish Three Tiger Group? Moreover, as far as I know, Three Tiger Group originated from a gang involved in illicit activities in Longchuan—how did he manage to transform such a gang into a legitimate corporation? If I'm correct, Xin Yi likely possesses even deeper connections; thus we must strategize carefully regarding Kosen."
Upon hearing this from Qiao Qiang, He Zhixiang recalls: "Xin Yi? Is that the guy who was thrown out of the hospital when Jingwei went to Longchuan last time?"
"Yes, it's him. Not only did he throw him out of the hospital last time, but yesterday Jingwei also ran into him in Longchuan and was forced to apologize to many people before he could escape. Even the local traffic police in Longchuan couldn't do anything about it," Qiao Qiang said as he put down his cup and squinted his eyes. "According to Jingwei's description, this kid named Xin Yi is indeed a tough character. I heard that the Three Tiger Group sent nearly two hundred luxury cars for the funeral of a deceased employee, which shocked various sectors of society and had quite an impact."
"What kind of deep background can a nouveau riche businessman have? It's probably all social connections built with money. Fighting against such connections is like hitting a rock with an egg. Today, I'll organize some people from the Industrial and Commercial Bureau to investigate his Three Tiger Group and see whether he's tough or I'm tougher!" He Zhixiang said, her words laced with a hint of malice due to her concern for her son, contrasting sharply with her image as the elegant First Lady of Binhai.
"Don't rush. Even if you investigate his Three Tiger Group regarding Kosen, it won't help much. Instead, it might raise their vigilance and alert them, making our handling of the situation even more passive," Qiao Qiang said as he stood up after putting down his cup. "Let me think this through carefully. Before that, you must not act rashly. Alright, I need to get to work now."
He Zhixiang helped Qiao Qiang put on his coat and handed him his bag. "Old Qiao, you need to think of a way quickly. I don't know if Kosen is suffering down there. Why don't you ask the Provincial Department to set up a special task force for this case? It's easier when our own people handle things."
Qiao Qiang was changing his shoes at the door when he looked up after hearing He Zhixiang's words and said, "What's wrong with you today? You're saying all these unreliable things, even suggesting a special task force? Are you afraid everyone doesn't know about this matter? We need to keep this under wraps; the fewer people who know, the better. If this blows up, we won't be able to cover it up no matter what. Leave this matter to me; you just focus on your work as if nothing has happened."
The car had long been waiting at the door. The driver quickly opened the door for Qiao Qiang as he came out. Qiao Qiang bent down and got into the car, sitting in the back seat with his eyes closed to rest. Seeing Secretary Qiao resting, the driver drove at a steady pace, careful not to cause any bumps that might disturb Secretary Qiao's rest. In reality, Qiao Qiang's mind was racing; he was even more anxious about Kosen's situation than He Zhixiang was. He was worried because the potential consequences of this matter were simply too severe. Not only would Kosen be implicated, but if local police pursued this matter relentlessly and followed leads, many issues could surface.
Qiao Qiang was well aware of what Kosen had done over the years; not only had he become the leader of Binhai's underworld, but those under him were also involved in drug production and trafficking. There had already been several murder cases directly related to him. However, that wasn't even the most critical part; what mattered most was that not long ago, Qiao Qiang discovered that it was that organization that had helped Kosen realize his ambitions as Binhai's leader. For a long time, Qiao Qiang thought he had forgotten about that organization or that they had given up on him. He had finally laid down a heavy burden that had weighed on him for years.
But just recently, he realized that everything was still under their control; they were helping Kosen as part of an overarching plan.
This situation caused Qiao Qiang, who hadn't suffered from insomnia for many years, to lose sleep again. He thought he had escaped their control, only to find out that he had always been like a monkey thinking it could turn clouds and rain at will but never escaping from Buddha's grasp. What was worse was that his only son was also under someone else's control. This felt like another insurance policy against him; even if one day he decided to risk everything in a desperate fight, it would become impossible. He could sacrifice himself but couldn't let the Qiao family die out.
Thus, Qiao Qiang lost sleep over regretting his earlier decision.
If the police pursued Kosen this time, they might very well uncover that Kosen was indeed Binhai's kingpin. Just this charge alone would be enough to ruin Kosen completely. Moreover, if they traced it back to find out that organization was supporting him from behind the scenes, then the nature of the entire situation would change entirely. Such charges are not on par with murder or arson; in feudal society, they would be crimes punishable by exterminating entire clans—enough for members of the Qiao family to die several times over.
In this matter concerning Kosen, it was indeed inappropriate for Qiao Qiang to step forward—not because he wanted to prove his selflessness but because he knew that once he intervened, it would inevitably provoke a strong backlash from the Shen family. This would escalate matters significantly; once things got big enough, no matter how they operated or what happened with Kosen in the end, he would lose—and lose badly.
It seemed that extraordinary measures would have to be taken this time, thought Qiao Qiang.
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