Chapter 99: On the Eve of Departure

When Fang Nanguo went downstairs, Zeng Yi had already left. Feng Yuqin mentioned Zeng Yi's thoughts to him.

Fang Nanguo's expression remained unchanged. He took the water cup Feng Yuqin handed him, took a sip, and said, "Young people should still go to the front lines!"

Feng Yuqin, considering Fang Nanguo's health, did not want Zeng Yi to leave Rongcheng. However, Fang Nanguo had his own considerations. Everyone knew that Zeng Yi was his personal doctor, and his every move would be seen as Fang Nanguo's intention. If Zeng Yi were like Tang Haoran, it would be fine, but Zeng Yi was a rather rash person, quick to fight for justice. In the political arena, this was quite fatal.

Politics is not a simple arm-wrestling match; it's not about who has the most strength. Fang Nanguo was well aware of what Yuan Gongping had done, and the provincial disciplinary committee had some evidence. It would be easy to take down Yuan Gongping, but he was not alone. He had a powerful backer. Taking action against Yuan Gongping would mean facing pressure from all sides. Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, Fang Nanguo would not confront Yuan Gongping directly.

This study at the Central Party School was also very important for Fang Nanguo, as it related to his future advancement. At this critical juncture, he did not want to take action against Yuan Gongping. After all, if something went wrong in Nanjiang, he, as the top leader, would also be held responsible.

However, Fang Nanguo did not expect Zeng Yi to be so rash and beat up Yuan Wenjie. Although the fault was not entirely his, this action brought the conflict between him and Yuan Gongping to the surface, putting him in a very passive position. At the same time, Yuan Gongping's actions greatly displeased Fang Nanguo. One must consider the owner when dealing with a dog, yet Yuan Gongping had put his own people under investigation, showing a complete disregard for Fang Nanguo's authority.

At this point, Fang Nanguo had to retaliate, regardless of the reason. Coincidentally, Yuan Wenjie, that blind fool, had demolished Qiao Lao's old residence. Qiao Lao wanted to use Yuan Gongping to assert his authority, and Fang Nanguo was happy to go along with it. Together, they took down Yuan Gongping.

Zeng Yi had excellent character, but he was not suited for the political arena. He did not understand politics. If someone else had been in his position, they would have found a better solution. Even a phone call would have been better than resorting to violence. If Zeng Yi continued like this, he might cause even more trouble. It would be better for him to go down and gain some experience, to temper his character.

As Zeng Yi left the No. 1 Building of the Standing Committee, he encountered Tang Haoran.

Tang Haoran patted Zeng Yi on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Brother Zeng Yi, we're setting up a banquet for you tonight to calm your nerves. The usual place, the Jinjiang Grand Hotel's Jinxiu Hall."

"You guys have no good intentions, just waiting to see me in a sorry state!"

Tang Haoran laughed, "What sorry state? I only see you full of energy! It's settled, we won't stop until we're all drunk tonight!"

To be honest, Tang Haoran couldn't see anything wrong with Zeng Yi. After waking up in the hospital, he seemed fine, not needing any rest and even coming to treat Secretary Fang. Tang Haoran even suspected that the unconscious Yuan Wenjie in the hospital was also due to Zeng Yi's actions. This guy had already planned his escape route!

When Zeng Yi arrived at the Jinjiang Grand Hotel in the evening, the restaurant manager came out to greet him, "Mr. Zeng, welcome! Everything is ready, just waiting for your arrival!"

"Who am I to be called 'your arrival'! To be honest, I didn't bring much money today. If I can't pay for the meal, you'll have to let me owe it!"

The manager knew Zeng Yi was joking and said, "Mr. Zeng, you're joking. It's an honor for us to have you dine here. We're delighted!"

He pressed the elevator button for Zeng Yi and added, "I just saw Miss Ye come in."

"Oh?" Zeng Yi knew the manager was referring to Ye Qinghan. Thinking that he was about to leave Rongcheng, he said, "If you see her again, please invite her to the Jinxiu Hall and tell her I'm inviting her to dinner!" He didn't know many people in Rongcheng, so he wanted to see as many as possible before leaving.

"Sure, sure!" The manager nodded eagerly. He felt honored to run errands for Zeng Yi and didn't need to wait to see her again; he would go and invite her personally. After all, the people inviting Zeng Yi to dinner tonight were all influential figures.

In the Jinxiu Hall, many people were already seated, including Gu Xiankun and his cousin Gu Di, Chen Long, who was of a lower rank and had arrived early, and Tang Weiguo, who arrived shortly after. Before Zeng Yi arrived, Tang Weiguo had already opened a bottle of Wuliangye and was sipping it. Soon after, Shao Haibo also arrived.

Seeing Zeng Yi enter, everyone stood up and said with a smile, "Good, you came on your own. We thought you'd have to come with an IV drip!"

"Do I look that bad?" Zeng Yi laughed, "I'm still a highly skilled doctor!"

Everyone understood that Zeng Yi's investigation was a matter of higher-level politics, and they wanted to help but couldn't. Seeing Zeng Yi now, they all felt a bit guilty, so they tried not to mention it.

Zeng Yi also understood their thoughts and directly turned to the topic of drinking, saying, "I came prepared today!" He then took out a bottle of wine from behind his back.

"Wow!"

Tang Weiguo let out a strange cry, jumped up, and pretended to choke Zeng Yi, saying fiercely, "Confess, where did you get this wine?" He recognized the bottle; it was a good wine that his father, Tang Xiuquan, had kept for many years. There were only three bottles, and his father always hid them to prevent him from drinking them, not even letting him touch them. He never thought Zeng Yi would bring one.

Zeng Yi put the wine on the table, "Just drink it if you have wine. Why ask so many questions?"

"Exactly, when good wine is in front of me, I never ask where it came from!" Gu Di laughed, also taking out a bottle of 1982 Lafite and putting it on the table, showing that he was also prepared.

Everyone laughed, looking at each other. In no time, the table was filled with various wines. It seemed that everyone had the same idea when they came.

"Tonight will be a great night!"

Tang Weiguo, a wine lover, saw so many good wines and his eyes started to sparkle. He rubbed his hands excitedly.

"Good wine on the table, everyone's true nature is revealed, ha ha!" Zeng Yi laughed, "Tonight, no one is allowed to hold back. We won't stop until we're all drunk!"

Just as he was speaking, Tang Haoran and Du Ruo entered. After a brief greeting, they both reached into their bags and said, "You're in for a treat tonight, I brought good wine!"

Seeing everyone's strange expressions, they were a bit puzzled. When they took out the wine and put it on the table, they realized what was going on and laughed, saying, "It seems we're the ones coming to freeload tonight."

Since Wei Xiangnan hadn't arrived yet, everyone didn't sit down but chatted idly.

Gu Xiankun suddenly asked, "I heard the health base project was suddenly terminated. Do you know why?"

Zeng Yi smiled, "I'm not sure. It's a decision made by the leaders, probably for some reason."

Among those present, Zeng Yi, Tang Haoran, and Tang Weiguo knew the inside story. Yuan Wenjie had demolished Qiao Lao's old residence, which was equivalent to tearing down Qiao Lao's face. This was the reason Qiao Lao decided to take down Yuan Gongping. The big shots in Beijing had no choice but to give a severe lesson, otherwise, the next time it could be their own residences being demolished. The authority and face of the big shots must be maintained, and no one could infringe on them in the slightest, or they would lose control.

The main purpose of building the health base in Nanjiang was to allow Qiao Lao to enjoy his retirement in Nanjiang. Now that Qiao Lao was angry and refused to come to Nanjiang, the health base project was temporarily put on hold. Moreover, the provincial leaders were now focused on the two vacant seats in the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, not on the health base.

Even if the three knew this, they wouldn't talk about it.

Gu Xiankun, not getting an answer, didn't ask again. He was a bit disappointed. He didn't care much about politics, but if he could secure the health base project, the Mingshi Group could make a lot of profit.

Gu Di wanted to ask who would replace Yuan Gongping, but thought it was inappropriate and gave up. As a former princeling, his thoughts were starting to become active. If his father could take Yuan Gongping's position, he would be able to stand tall in Nanjiang. Anyone who dared to look down on him or compete for his women would be beaten without hesitation.

Wei Xiangnan arrived last, apologizing, "My child was causing trouble at home, making everyone wait. I'm really sorry."

"Sister, sit here!"

Zeng Yi got up to pull out a chair for Wei Xiangnan. He now felt not only affection but also great respect for her. If it weren't for her advice, he might not have realized that beating up Yuan Wenjie had caused trouble for Fang Nanguo.

After the incident, Fang Nanguo and his wife did not say anything to blame him, which made Zeng Yi feel a bit uncomfortable. This was one of the reasons he decided to leave Rongcheng. He understood that if he stayed in Rongcheng, he would likely cause more trouble.

Zeng Yi's initial intention for staying in the Health Bureau was to take the high road and use his efforts to bring real benefits to Nanjiang. However, with the health base project terminated, this path was no longer viable. The clinic could no longer be opened, and the Health Bureau was a very relaxed and idle place. Zeng Yi had no contact with patients and nothing to do, so when Zhongyue invited him to Nanyun County, he accepted.

Since the high road was no longer viable, he might as well go down and do some real work.

Additionally, Zeng Yi did not like being labeled as "Secretary Fang's person." The warmth and respect from those around him were not for him but for the powerful Fang Nanguo, which made him very uncomfortable.

When everyone was ready to start the banquet, there was a knock on the door. Ye Qinghan's head appeared in the gap, and she smiled when she saw Zeng Yi, saying, "It really is you! I thought the manager was tricking me!"

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