hotmtlnovel Chapter 272 Lin Yan's Overt Scheme
Chapter 272 Lin Yan's Overt Scheme
The call was quickly transferred to Wang Bingzhou, deputy director of the Central Economic and Trade Coordination Office. Wang Bingzhou was deeply impressed by this young but extremely powerful figure in the Lin family, and his tone was characteristically warm yet cautious: "Comrade Lin San, hello there. Why are you calling me so urgently? Is there some problem with the transportation of supplies?"
"Director Wang," Lin San's voice was as cold as iron, cutting straight to the point without any pleasantries, "I am here on behalf of the Hong Kong Lin Group to inform you of an extremely egregious and intolerable incident."
"Mr. Lin Yan, a key member of our group and responsible for all trade liaison with you, was attacked by organized and violent local grain requisition officials while conducting legitimate interviews on people's livelihoods in the Jinggangshan area of Jiangxi Province. They attempted to seize his camera and physically assaulted him. Currently, Mr. Lin Yan's personal freedom is restricted and his safety is seriously threatened."
Wang Bingzhou's breathing visibly caught in his throat on the other end of the phone. He was about to say some platitudes like "we will investigate thoroughly" and "we will definitely deal with it seriously" when Lin San didn't give him the chance.
"Director Wang," Lin San interrupted his possible response, his tone becoming sharper, "I hope you and your side can fully understand the seriousness of this matter. Mr. Lin Yan is not only the sole heir of the Lin Group, but also our sole decision-maker and contact person in the trade of 'grain' and 'strategic rubber' with your side."
He deliberately emphasized the words "food" and "strategic rubber".
"My father and the family elders already had differing opinions on entrusting such an important trade to young people for experience. This incident precisely confirms their concerns—the grassroots environment of our partners is so lawless that even basic personal safety and legal rights cannot be guaranteed!"
Lin San's voice suddenly rose, filled with undisguised anger and accusation:
"If we cannot even guarantee the most basic safety of our personnel, if the core members of our partners can be arbitrarily beaten and detained by local petty officials, then how can we prove to the family elders that continuing such large-scale, strategic trade with you is safe and worthwhile?!"
His last words were like a final verdict:
"Until this matter is resolved to our satisfaction, I am authorized to formally notify you that all ongoing grain and rubber trade is immediately suspended. The implementation of any signed agreements will be subject to a new safety and feasibility assessment. All cooperation is indefinitely suspended until we receive clear assurances regarding Mr. Lin Yan's safety and a serious outcome regarding the perpetrators!"
On the other end of the phone, Deputy Director Wang Bingzhou's hand holding the receiver began to tremble slightly, and fine beads of cold sweat instantly appeared on his forehead.
"It's over!" That was his first thought. He knew all too well what the grain and rubber provided by the Lin family meant. In these difficult times, they were strategic materials that money couldn't buy; they were vital to stabilizing the market and ensuring military production! A few reckless fools had stirred up such a huge hornet's nest!
He instantly understood the weight of Lin San's words—this was not merely a protest, but an ultimatum. If not handled properly, it could not only disrupt trade but also trigger serious diplomatic disputes and political consequences, leaving him and the heads of relevant systems held accountable!
"Comrade Lin! Please calm down! Please calm down!" Wang Bingzhou's voice was filled with unprecedented urgency and solemnity. "Please believe me, you and the Lin family, that this is absolutely the misconduct of a few grassroots cadres and does not represent the attitude of the Central Committee! We express our strongest indignation and sincerest apologies for this!"
He made the assurance almost immediately:
"I assure you, on behalf of my Party principles and in the name of the organization, that I will immediately and personally report to the highest levels! Please convey to Mr. Lin Yan that he must protect himself! I assure you that within two hours, no, within one hour, the provincial working group will arrive at the scene and control the situation! None of the perpetrators will escape! The Lin family will be given the most satisfactory explanation!"
After hanging up the phone, Wang Bingzhou practically stormed out of his office, yelling hoarsely at his secretary, "Quick! Prepare the car! Go to the Organization Department! Immediately! Right now! The sky is falling!"
This phone call acted like a fuse, instantly igniting a furious uproar from top to bottom. The shadows cast by those at the grassroots level were finally exposed to the scrutiny of those at the highest levels.
Half an hour later, a call from Beijing connected directly to the office of Shao Shiping, the governor of Jiangxi Province:
"Hello, Lao Shao? This is Chen Pingye from the Organization Department of the Central Committee. I'm informing you of an extremely serious situation! Mr. Lin Yan, a direct member of the Lin Group, a patriotic Hong Kong businessman, and a key figure in our grain and strategic rubber trade, was subjected to an organized and violent attack by local grain requisition officials today while conducting legitimate interviews on people's livelihoods in the Jinggangshan area of your province! His personal safety is seriously threatened, and his interview equipment was attempted to be violently seized!"
"The Lin Group is a crucial supplier of essential goods to our country during this difficult time. Mr. Lin Yan's safety and willingness to cooperate are directly related to the stability of the nation's strategic resources! The other party is extremely indignant about this and has hinted that if a severe punishment and safety guarantee for the perpetrator are not seen within 48 hours, all signed and ongoing trade agreements will be unilaterally suspended!"
"What kind of problem is this?! This is a major political incident that undermines the united front and disrupts the country's economic development! Central leaders are highly concerned about this and have demanded that your province immediately investigate the truth, deal with it seriously, and show absolutely no leniency! The results should be reported directly to our ministry!"
These words were like a bombshell, creating a huge uproar in the province. No one could have imagined that the misdeeds of a few low-level officials would escalate to such a high level, directly alarming the central government and even threatening the supply of national strategic materials!
The pressure from the highest level had a devastating effect.
Less than four hours after the phone call ended, a joint investigation team composed of provincial, prefectural, and county-level officials arrived in force.
Just as Officer Li was sitting in his office with his legs crossed, plotting how to make this a "model" to curry favor with his superiors, the commune's only telephone suddenly rang shrilly.
He slowly answered the phone: "Hello, where is this?"
A roar came from the other end of the phone from the county's top official:
"Li Wen! You bastard! Who the hell have you messed with?! Are you holding a reporter surnamed Lin from Beijing hostage?! I'm telling you! Right now! Immediately! Bring him out here! Apologize properly! If he loses a single hair, we're both finished! The provincial working group is already on its way! Do you hear me?!"
The smugness on Officer Li's face froze instantly, the color drained from his face at a visible speed, and his hand holding the microphone trembled like a leaf.
"Leader...you must have made a mistake...that...that was just a..."
"What a load of rubbish! That's something that the central leadership personally intervened in! It's a matter of utmost importance! You...you've really ruined me!" The phone was slammed shut.
Li, the clerk, slumped into his chair, his face ashen, cold sweat instantly soaking his back. He finally understood what Lin Yan meant by "you're going to be in big trouble," but this bad luck came too quickly, far beyond his imagination.
Almost as soon as the call ended, the sharp screech of brakes from a jeep came from outside the window. The joint working group from the provincial, prefectural, and county levels had arrived with astonishing efficiency.
Officer Li and his thugs were immediately dismissed from their posts and taken away by the public security authorities for further investigation. Other officials who instigated or condoned the falsification of production figures were also quickly placed under investigation.
The grain quota for Zhuxi Village and even the entire commune was ordered to be recalculated based on actual yield. The excess grain that had already been transported away was recovered overnight and distributed back to the villagers.
The head of the investigation team personally apologized to Lin Yan and repeatedly assured him of his personal safety and freedom of interview during his stay in China.
"No need, I don't like having a lot of people following me. I have to go back to the village. Uncle Xiao must be worried sick!" Lin Yan waved his hand, too lazy to waste words with them.
Two days later, Xiao Ronggen led the entire village to escort Lin Yan to the village entrance. The old Party Secretary held his hand tightly, tears streaming down his face, his lips trembling. A thousand words escaped his lips in a single sentence: "Reporter Lin... Zhuxi Village will never forget your great kindness!"
"Uncle Xiao, don't mention it, it's my pleasure. I'll send you the photos as soon as I get back to Beijing and have them developed!"
Looking at the village and its residents who had survived the disaster, Lin Yan was filled with mixed emotions. He had used worldly power to solve the most fundamental problem of survival.
This turmoil did not end in Zhuxi Village. A few days later, a nationwide rectification campaign initiated by the central government, targeting "exaggeration, bureaucracy, and infringement upon the interests of the masses in rural work," quietly began. Many local "local tyrants" who had been exaggerating production figures fell from power in this storm.