"You sure it's Jiang Xiu?" There was quite a low chance for someone who has escaped from the city and fled into the mountains to pass through the borders to come back to the city again.
"There's no mistake in it." The officer replied. They had also expended a great deal of effort as this was a huge case involving Tang Zhengping's only son. They wished to use this opportunity to make a name out of themselves.
The Jiang couple's heart was completely down. This was the news they were most unwilling to hear. They knew that it was nothing but a dead end if Jiang Xiu returned back to the city.
Son, you must not come back!!
Ling Dongcheng was quite calm this time. He guessed that the reason Jiang Xiu had come back was due to his parents, so he wasn't in a hurry to capture him. He believed it was possible that Jiang Xiu might even surrender.
"Shall we organize a group to capture him then?"
Since Jiang Xiu was almost captured, there was one other thing to deal with.
That was to decide whether it was manslaughter or premeditated murder.
Since Secretary Tang wished to take revenge for his son by taking Jiang Xiu's life and he wouldn't let this husband and wife off easy as well. It was clear to Ling Dongcheng that he had to make this case a premeditated murder. "You heard it, right? Your son has returned. Shouldn't you confess as well?"
"Confess what?" Jiang Yi asked frantically.
"About how you premeditated the entire thing and incited Jiang Xiu to murder Tang Zhiming."
"Don't accuse good people wrongly."
Ling Dongcheng continued, "Don't act tough. It seems like you've forgotten your close friend, Cheng Hanlin of the Cheng Conglomerate and his daughter, Cheng Lingsu. They are at Secretary Tang's home as a guest right now."
Jiang Yi and Lin Yueling's expressions changed.
"You…"
He felt as if the same thing which had happened 12 years ago was happening all over again. Their heart was suffering a crushing pain.
"So despicable!"
…
At this moment, Tang Zhengping was indeed entertaining Cheng Hanlin's entire family. No matter whether Jiang Xiu returned or not, their family was the key to this whole case. Tang Zhengping wore a calm expression right now. No one could even imagine his son passed away just recently.
"Brother Hanlin, it's been over a decade since we have seen each other."
Cheng Hanlin wasn't planning to meet him, but it was out of his control. He wore a face of apathy as he came over with his wife and daughter.
This man was someone he hated the most in his life. If it weren't for this man, he wouldn't have been forced to sell his friend to seek glory. The reason he had worked so crazily during this past decade was to complement the guilt in his heart rather than to make money.
"Yes, it's indeed been so long."
Tang Zhengping's gaze swept over Cheng Hanlin then over Sun Xiaohong and Cheng Lingsu. After Jiang Xiu left that day, Cheng Lingsu went to find her parents. The police had also questioned her, and she too told the truth as it is. In fact, the reason for it was Cheng Lingsu, but she wasn't the direct cause, so she wasn't responsible for it.
"Brother Hanlin is indeed blessed. You have such a pretty wife as well as a beautiful daughter. It's quite enviable."
He made his servants pull the chairs for them so they could take a seat.
"Secretary Tang, there's no need for this kind of courteous words between us. If you have anything to say, please say it directly…" Cheng Hanlin said. He had suffered under Tang Zhenping 12 years ago due to the Cheng Conglomerate, but there was nothing to fear now as he had nothing left.
Tang Zhengping hinted the servant to pour the wine into the glass. He took a sip then nodded satisfactorily. He indicated them to pour it for everyone.
"Do you remember the matter from 2 years ago?"
"Brother Hanlin promised to help me settle a matter, that is to bring down a formidable opponent of mine, Jiang Yi. From then on, everything had gone smoothly for me till now. I'm 45 now and sitting in the position of the Secretary of the Municipal Committee as well as the Deputy Provincial Mayor and might even become a member of the Party."
Cheng Lingsu was hearing about this matter for the first time. Her brows locked up tightly. She had a bad premonition from the details Tang Zhengping had revealed. It seems like father had committed a matter which had let down Uncle Jiang.
Cheng Hanlin's expression turned ugly. He wasn't willing to bring that matter up again. It felt like someone had pulled the semi-healed scab off a wound which had healed with much difficulty. "Did Secretary Tang invite our entire family to talk about this?"
"Of course not. I was merely reminding Brother Hanlin about it. Don't forget what you had done once."
Cheng Hanlin's complexion turned even uglier.
"12 years ago, Brother Hanlin had helped me accomplish a matter which had given you 12 years of glory. Your Cheng Estates brought you both fame and fortune, but it's a pity that you went bankrupt in the end. It doesn't matter anyway, you have another chance now after 12 years. Brother Hanlin must know what has happened recently. Jiang Yi's son murdered my son."
When Cheng Hanlin had heard this news, he was utterly shocked. His first thought was that Jiang Xiu understood about the matter from those days and thus took revenge for his father.
"If your family appears in court as a witness and swears that Jiang Xiu deliberately murdered my son, I can let the bank provide a loan for free to you. You will have the final say on the amount."
The entire courtyard went still under the night scene. Only the heartbeats resounded.
Cheng Hanlin needed funds to reverse his situation, and Tang Zhengping had thrown out the right bait to incite him. He made a hard expression on his face. Sun Xiaohong's eyes lit up as well. Cheng Lingsu gazed towards Tang Zhengping, feeling a chill in her heart. If the case were decided as a murder, even if Jiang Xiu's family isn't executed, they would spend their latter half of life in jail.
"What? Do you need time to think over it like last time?"
Cheng Hanlin opened his lips to speak yet couldn't say anything. Humans were, in the end, all selfish. They would waver when facing a huge enticement.
"Father!"
Cheng Lingsu shook her head. She could not allow this to happen. Though Cheng Lingsu wasn't as good and honest as her elder sister, she could never go against her conscience and hurt Jiang Xiu's family.
"Brother Hanlin, you already did this once 12 years ago. Since you have done it once, there's no harm in doing it again. Let alone, only the winners are considered as heroes in this world. Everyone will respect and flatter you when you possess power and wealth. Look at you now, you're no better than a stray dog. No matter where you go now, they don't even give you consideration for how glorious your Cheng Conglomerate once was…"
Tang Zhengping's words struck right at the crux.
"Think it over while I drink this cup of wine…"
"Only, let me remind you. The Jiang family is doomed this time. Even if you don't do it, the outcome won't change."
Cheng Hanlin might not have believed this if anyone else said this, but the person before him was the Deputy Provincial Mayor of Jiangnan as well as the Secretary of Ninghai City's Municipal Committee. He also had the powerful Tang family behind him. There were very few things he couldn't do on Jiangnan."
"How much can the bank loan to me for free?"
"Didn't I say it already? You can decide the amount. There's no upper limit, I can guarantee this on my name. You can ask how much ever you want. I'll use my family's power to make sure you get that amount."
Cheng Hanlin clenched his hands nervously, his eyes turning red.
"Father…"
Cheng Hanlin said, "I have acted disloyally once already. I won't do such a thing against my will again."
Cheng Lingsu relaxed her breath after hearing this while Sun Xiaohong made a complicated expression.
Tang Zhengping laughed, "Brother Hanlin, 12 years have passed by since you entered the business world and you have yet to change. Must I force you to do it?"
"Do you remember the evidence from those days? I still have it. If only I take it out, you also won't be able to escape from imprisonment."
Cheng Hanlin's expression changed immediately, "You…"
"You'll have to roughly spend 3-5 years in prison if that's the case." His complexion hardened. "Don't hesitate until you're forced to make a decision. I don't mind sending you to prison along with Jiang Yi if you want to get imprisoned."
Cheng Hanlin's expression turned uglier while Sun Xiaohong grabbed Cheng Hanlin's arm, "Hanlin, why don't you promise him? You can't get imprisoned. What will your daughters and I do if you get imprisoned?" Tears fell from her eyes.
Tang Zhengping continued, "My patience is quite limited. I'll count to three…"
"One!"
"Two!"
"…"
There was some noise from outside all of a sudden. A person who seemed to be the housekeeper ran over nervously, "Secretary Tang, there's a youth outside. He says he is Jiang Xiu…"
"What?"
Tang Zhengping leaped up from his seat, "Why did he come here?"
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