After hanging up the phone, Ye Hong felt both furious and wronged.
Because this incident had absolutely nothing to do with him.
Now, things had taken a turn, and Cao Sanjin was blaming all the responsibility on him.
Angry beyond restraint, Ye Hong imdiately made a call, summoning the chief of the food factory and Tan Rongxi to his office.
He grabbed a stack of docunts from the table and hurled them at the two.
"You’re both fired. Get out! Just get out!"
The food factory chief didn’t dare utter a word. He gritted his teeth and stord off.
Tan Rongxi, however, stood in place, his face full of grievance, protesting.
"This isn’t my fault. Why are you firing ?"
"If it’s not your fault, is it mine? Let ask you one thing—why did you assault soone?!"
"The situation was urgent at the ti. I just thought to destroy the cara. Otherwise, if what’s in the food factory gets exposed, you’d be done for!"
"So you’re saying you did it for my own good? Then tell , why did you hit soone? That was a journalist! Can you just assault anyone you please? The municipal secretary just told that if this isn’t handled well, I’ll lose my position. Now you tell —what should I do?!"
Having been accomplices with Ye Hong for years, Tan Rongxi, now facing termination, also beca irate.
He plopped down onto the sofa and said indignantly.
"I didn’t expect things to co to this. Anyway, I sent people to the food factory for your sake. And now you want to fire ? That’s not fair!"
Ye Hong let out a deep sigh and finally sat silently in his chair.
After a long mont of contemplation, he asked, "The people who went to the food factory—what departnt are they from?"
"The security squad!"
"Alright, then fire the squad captain and the deputy director in charge, and dismiss all the officers who went on the operation."
"This... wouldn’t that be excessive? After all..."
Before Tan Rongxi could finish, Ye Hong answered firmly.
"Weigh your options yourself. If they don’t go, then it’ll be you who’s out!"
With no argunt left to make, Tan Rongxi sighed and got up to leave.
The next day, Ye Hong took Tan Rongxi and others to Tianhai Hospital to visit the assaulted journalists.
He had intended to apologize and deescalate the situation.
However, the two severely injured journalists refused to speak to them.
They didn’t accept any compensation, caras, or gifts either.
Seeing that this approach was futile, Ye Hong and the group went to the municipal newspaper office, hoping to negotiate with the leadership there.
Unfortunately, they were stopped by security guards and didn’t even make it through the front door.
Out of options, Ye Hong had no choice but to seek out Cao Sanjin personally.
Cao Sanjin stared at him impassively and asked coldly, "How’s the matter being handled?"
Ye Hong promptly replied, "All police officers involved in the assault, as well as the food factory chief, have been severely disciplined."
"And the injured journalists? What’s their stance?"
"They’re still furious and unwilling to forgive."
"I don’t care what thod you use—you must secure their forgiveness. Otherwise, step down from your post as secretary of the County Committee!"
Seeing his position hanging by a thread, Ye Hong quickly pledged.
"Please don’t worry, Secretary Cao. I’ll make sure this matter is resolved!"
Leaving the office, Ye Hong felt as if his world was falling apart.
He couldn’t understand why Cao Sanjin always had it out for him.
On the way back to Dragon Mountain County, he suddenly felt sharp pains in his head.
He had no choice but to go to the County Hospital.
After an examination, following the doctor’s advice, he planned to stay there for two days.
While Ye Hong was hospitalized, many people ca to visit.
Among them, Chen Bin naturally wasn’t one to fall behind.
He knew that Ye Hong might not rember who visited,
but he would undoubtedly rember who didn’t.
Walking into the ward, Chen Bin greeted Ye Hong.
"Secretary Ye, how are you feeling now?"
Ye Hong replied calmly, "My head still hurts a bit, but nothing else."
Chen Bin quickly put on a very concerned expression.
"Right now is a crucial ti for Dragon Mountain County’s developnt. As our leader, you absolutely can’t be taken down."
Ye Hong sighed, "I’m aware of that. But lately, a lot of troubling things have piled up—it’s easy for them to lead to headaches."
At this mont, Chen Bin suddenly said.
"The municipal newspaper previously sent journalists to Qinghe Town. I have so connections with them. Secretary Ye, regarding the food factory incident—should I step in and make so arrangents?"
Hearing this, Ye Hong’s eyes lit up.
He quickly invited Chen Bin to sit down and said excitedly.
"That would be great! As long as this matter is resolved, our county can focus on developnt. If they write anything negative in their articles, the consequences would be disastrous!"
Chen Bin stood up and nodded.
"Don’t worry, Secretary Ye. I won’t let you down!"
Ye Hong imdiately brightened up.
"That would be wonderful!"
After leaving the hospital, Chen Bin directly caught a taxi back to Tianhai.
He spent an evening with Zhao Xini and Zhao Nianbing, only returning to the county the next afternoon.
As soon as he walked into his office, Ye Hong hurried over.
"How did it go? What did they say?"
Having already prepared a plan, Chen Bin replied.
"I t the editor-in-chief at the municipal newspaper office. He told that the journalists who were assaulted are essential pillars of the paper. If they won’t budge, he, as their leader, wouldn’t be able to intervene either."
Finding nothing wrong with this reasoning, Ye Hong quickly pressed further.
"And then? What did you say?"
"I went to the hospital to see the two injured journalists. They had previously interviewed in Qinghe Town, and we had a good rapport back then. I thought they’d give so leeway, but I overestimated my influence."
Ye Hong felt his heart sinking as he asked persistently.
"So, are you saying they’ll never let off the hook?"
"Not necessarily. They said if we want to bury the hatchet, there’s one condition."
Ye Hong shuddered and quickly asked, "What condition?"
Chen Bin didn’t speak imdiately. He slowly raised one finger.
Ye Hong exhaled deeply, "One thousand? That’s not a problem. I can..."
Before he could finish, Chen Bin shook his head.
Ye Hong continued testing, "Could it be... ten thousand?"
Chen Bin shook his head again, "One million. Four people!"
"What the hell?! That’s daylight robbery! Where am I supposed to get that kind of money?!"
Seeing Ye Hong starting to crack, Chen Bin said gravely.
"Their stance is firm. They claim that as long as they receive the money, the matter will be over. Otherwise, they’ll report it to the municipal committee and insist on taking down both top officials of Dragon Mountain County."
Bam!
Ye Hong slamd his fist on the table in anger.
He wanted to keep cursing, but with Chen Bin sitting next to him, he swallowed the words.
Chen Bin cautiously suggested, "Secretary Ye, I think we should consider paying the money to stave off disaster. The food factory’s situation—we know what’s going on. Blowing this up won’t do us any good."
Though the reasoning was sound, Ye Hong felt stingy about spending a million—it pained him deeply.
So Chen Bin added more pressure.
"Everyone here knows the food factory is your initiative. Now there’s been an incident involving journalists there. If this gets investigated from the top, they might indeed use you as the scapegoat."
Already anxious, Ye Hong felt even more panicked after Chen Bin’s words.
After all, this position as secretary was hard-earned. Losing it over a careless mistake would be unbearably unfair.
Left with no other choice, he gritted his teeth and asked Chen Bin seriously.
"Then tell —what exactly do you think I should do?"
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