"Wait, you can't do this!" Upon seeing the people from the Bureau of Industry and Commerce were actually about to seal the factory, Hua Ming panicked and frantically tried to stop them.

"We can't do this?" Director Huang scoffed, retorting in official-sounding jargon. "Let me be clear. We are from the Bureau of Industry and Commerce. Your jewelry store is currently under suspicion of selling counterfeit and substandard jewelry. Therefore, according to regulations, we are fully qualified and have every right to shut down your store and factory! Please do not obstruct our work. Otherwise, that would be considered obstruction of official duties."

It seemed he had done this sort of thing many times before, so his actions were flawless and strictly by the book, leaving Hua Ming with no words to refute him.

"Exactly! Unscrupulous merchants are despicable! Deceiving consumers with gold-plated brass to make a huge profit is illegal! Director Huang, you and the Bureau of Industry and Commerce must enforce the law impartially and give us common folk a satisfactory explanation," Zhou Zhengxu chimed in with a sneer.

"Of course! Young Master Zheng, Young Master Zhou, you can rest assured. Once this kind of illegal activity by an unscrupulous merchant is verified, our Bureau will punish them severely. We will even cooperate with our comrades in the Public Security Department to bring them to justice," Director Huang declared righteously.

"You, you… I'm going to make a phone call." Hearing this, Hua Ming grew even more frantic and reached into his pocket.

"What are you doing? Take your hand out! Are you trying to obstruct official duties?!" Seeing Hua Ming reach into his pocket while saying he was going to make a call, Deputy Director Huang Kai felt an inexplicable twinge of unease and barked out the order.

"Obstruct official duties? I just want to make a phone call," Hua Ming countered. For some reason, he suddenly felt a sense of relief. A faint, cold smile touched his lips as he continued, "What's the matter, Director Huang? With so many of you here, don't you even have the courage to let me make a single phone call?"

"What did you say!?"

The pot-bellied Director Huang's neck flushed red with anger as he roared.

"Fine, let him call," Young Master Zheng Zhengbin suddenly interjected with a wave of his hand. "I'd like to see just who is backing this old rascal, giving him the guts to oppose me, Zheng Zhengbin."

After all, what was his identity? What was his status? Hearing Hua Ming's taunting words, how could he possibly back down?

Seeing his chance, Hua Ming wasted no time and frantically dialed Chen Fei's number.

「Meanwhile, at Tongzhou City Airport in Jiangnan Province」

Chen Fei had just gotten off the plane and turned on his phone. At that very moment, it began to ring. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes as he glanced at the caller ID.

It's Uncle Hua. The look in his eyes grew more intense as he read the name on the screen.

"Hello, Uncle Hua?" he answered.

"Hello, Little Chen? It's me, Hua Ming. The… they've brought people from the Bureau of Industry and Commerce to seal my factory," Hua Ming's panicked voice came through the receiver.

"Seal your factory? Uncle Hua, don't panic. Tell me slowly, what happened?" Chen Fei asked, his eyes turning cold, though his voice remained soothing.

"It's like this, Little Chen," Hua Ming said, his words tumbling out. "They've colluded with the municipal Bureau of Industry and Commerce, claiming there's a problem with our jewelry. They already sealed our Tongzhou branch, and now they want to seal our Jade Carving Factory too."

"I see. Uncle Hua, don't worry about it. If they want to seal it, just let them," Chen Fei said with a sudden laugh.

"Let them seal it?" Hua Ming was stunned.

What… does he mean?

"Yes, Uncle Hua. If you trust me, let them do it. Isn't there a saying, 'Closing a shop is easy, but reopening it is hard'? Don't worry. They're sealing your store and the Jade Carving Factory with such arrogance now, but later, they'll be begging you to reopen," Chen Fei's cheerful voice came from the other end.

For him, a problem like this was nothing.

"Alright, then I know what to do." Hearing this, even if Hua Ming were a fool, he understood. Either Little Chen was just bluffing, or… he genuinely wasn't concerned about the Bureau of Industry and Commerce and was completely confident.

At that thought, he suddenly felt a sense of peace. He managed a forced smile and said, "Alright, Little Chen, I'll have to trouble you with this matter, then."

"Don't worry, Uncle Hua. The final outcome of this will definitely satisfy you," Chen Fei chuckled before hanging up.

He then continued walking through the airport's express lane while dialing another number.

「In the office of the Tongzhou City Party Secretary, Jiangnan Province」

Secretary Dong Wencheng was looking over an important document that had just been delivered when his private cellphone, which rarely rang, suddenly went off. His eyes flickered as he picked it up.

"Hello, Mr. Chen. Have you arrived in Tongzhou?" he asked as he answered. The caller was, of course, none other than Chen Fei, Young Master Chen.

"Yes, I've arrived. Uncle Dong, who's in charge of the Tongzhou City Bureau of Industry and Commerce? Do me a favor and call him. Tell him to immediately phone a deputy director at the bureau named Huang Kai and order him to stop the shutdown of Jinnan Jewelry at once!" Hearing Dong Wencheng's voice, Chen Fei didn't bother with pleasantries and went straight to the point.

Even though Dong Wencheng was mentally prepared, he couldn't help but break into a light sweat upon hearing Chen Fei's tone. He could tell that Mr. Chen was genuinely angry.

"Alright, I understand. I'll call Comrade Duan Lingxing at the municipal Bureau of Industry and Commerce right away," he replied promptly.

"Wait…" Chen Fei cut in suddenly.

Dong Wencheng paused, slightly taken aback. "Mr. Chen, is something wrong?"

"Let's do this," Chen Fei said after a moment's thought. "Don't get personally involved for now. Find someone of a lower rank to make the call. It wouldn't be good to startle the snake by beating the grass."

Startle the snake?

Dong Wencheng instantly understood Mr. Chen's intentions. This was a classic case of casting a long line to catch a big fish! At that realization, another bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. He nodded firmly. "I understand. I have a trusted confidant, a Deputy Mayor, who is in charge of economy, industry, and commerce. Should I have him step in first?"

"The Deputy Mayor? Fine. But make sure he follows my instructions. Don't startle the snake," Chen Fei reiterated.

"I understand," Dong Wencheng affirmed without hesitation before hanging up.

The Zheng Family is really in for some terrible luck. Dong Wencheng shook his head with a small smile. Instead of following standard procedure and having his secretary make the call, he used his personal phone to directly dial his confidant, the Deputy Mayor of Tongzhou.

"Hello, this is Little Pei, Deputy Mayor Jin's secretary. Mayor Jin is in a meeting right now. May I ask who is calling?" a young voice answered.

"This is Dong Wencheng. Get Comrade Jin Zhenglin on the phone," Dong Wencheng said in an authoritative tone that brooked no argument.

"Sec… Secretary Dong!? Please, please wait a moment! I'll inform Mayor Jin immediately!" The secretary who called himself Little Pei was so startled by the voice and name that he nearly dropped the phone. He replied with utmost respect and scrambled to fetch Mayor Jin.

A moment later, a respectful voice came from the phone. "Hello, Secretary Dong? This is Jin Zhenglin. What are your instructions?"

The man on the line was none other than Jin Zhenglin, one of Tongzhou City's current Deputy Mayors. He was not only in charge of economy, industry, and commerce but was also a confidant of the Municipal Party Secretary, Dong Wencheng. As such, his future in Tongzhou was considered very bright.

"I have an extremely, extremely, extremely important matter for you to handle! Listen closely, and don't mess this up…" Dong Wencheng then relayed Chen Fei's instructions.

"The Bureau of Industry and Commerce? Huang Kai!? I understand… Secretary Dong, I know what to do." After hearing Dong Wencheng's full account, even Deputy Mayor Jin Zhenglin's expression changed drastically, and he nodded hurriedly.

My goodness, who on earth is this Mr. Chen the Secretary spoke of? He can even mobilize Secretary Dong for help, to say nothing of anything else. But more importantly… is he now planning to cast a long line to catch the Zheng Family's 'big fish'!?

At that thought, he couldn't help but tremble, growing more terrified by the second.

"Good. Old Jin, remember to handle this beautifully. It'll be a huge problem if that person gets angry," Dong Wencheng added as a final warning.

With that, he hung up.

Jin Zhenglin drew a sharp, cold breath. Upon hearing how Dong Wencheng, the esteemed Secretary of the Tongzhou Municipal Party Committee, held 'that person' in such high regard and awe, his face turned pale, and he broke out in a cold sweat. He now felt the full urgency of the situation. Forgoing a call to the Bureau's director, Duan Lingxing, he had someone find Deputy Director Huang Kai's number and dialed it directly.

「Meanwhile, inside the Jinnan Jewelry Jade Carving Factory」

The portly Director Huang Kai and Young Master Zheng Zhengbin watched as Hua Ming made his phone call. Afterwards, he strangely retreated to a corner and fell silent, not uttering a single word. This deeply perplexed them.

They couldn't fathom what game this Old Rascal was playing.

Most importantly, they couldn't understand how a country bumpkin from a poor backwater like Northern Mountain could be so calm and composed after a single phone call.

Has the Old Rascal decided he doesn't want his jewelry business anymore? Or does he actually think that people like us aren't qualified to take him down?

The more they mulled it over, the more uneasy Young Master Zheng Zhengbin and the rotund Deputy Director Huang Kai became. They began to wonder if the Old Rascal, realizing he couldn't win and all hope was lost, was deliberately putting on this act just to mess with them.

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