Chapter 96

"Fourth Master, why have you called us here? Things are not very peaceful at the moment..."

In the luxurious main hall of Chang Xiangfeng's suburban villa, it was already filled with people. Due to the city-wide crackdown caused by the Yuan Bingqi incident, these people, who all had some standing on the streets, couldn't help but feel uneasy.

In the early stages of capital accumulation, very few people were clean. These people didn't flee mainly because the incident happened too suddenly; otherwise, they would have left to avoid the storm.

Seeing his subordinates arguing in a mess, Chang Xiangfeng frowned and shouted, "What are you panicking about? We're doing legitimate business. If anything happens, it won't affect you."

"Legitimate business?" Chang Fourth Master's words made everyone exchange glances. Had the national policy relaxed? Were they, who ran casinos and loaned money at high interest rates, now considered legitimate businesses?

"We are now all incorporated. As long as you pay your taxes according to regulations, the state won't cause trouble. Understand?"

Seeing the expressions of the people in front of him, Chang Fourth Master couldn't help but sigh. Fortunately, he had listened to his nephew and consolidated his businesses; otherwise, the government might have swept up everyone in this crackdown.

However, when Ah Biao was consolidating the assets, he also transferred many shares and control of the companies to these people, which led some to have ulterior motives, and Chang Fourth Master's control over them was greatly reduced.

"Heh, Fourth Master still has a far-sighted vision. Just tell us what you need us to do."

Hearing Chang Xiangfeng's words, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. None of them were clean, and they were afraid that this incident would implicate them. Now that it didn't concern them, they could sit back and watch.

"This time, Yuan Bingqi brought it upon himself by getting involved with drugs. It won't affect us. I called you all here to give you a heads-up. Be more cautious for a while..."

Chang Xiangfeng felt somewhat dispirited. Yuan Bingqi was a formidable figure in Jin Tian, and his business had grown significantly over the years. But the government had taken him down without giving him a chance to turn things around.

"Fourth Master, the entertainment complex is now vacant. Should we take it over?"

"Right, Yuan Bingqi used to hold onto it tightly. With your influence, Fourth Master, the people in the South District will step aside."

"Exactly, Yuan Bingqi isn't good at gambling. That casino was ruined by him. If we take it over, the profits will at least triple."

Knowing that this crackdown wasn't aimed at them, these people started to have ideas again. Everyone knew that Yuan Bingqi's entertainment complex was a gold mine, offering a full range of services from eating, drinking, prostitution, to gambling, and it was in an excellent location, making it a cash cow.

Although Chang Xiangfeng had some shares in it, they were minimal. The opportunity to take over the entertainment complex excited everyone, and they began to calculate how much of it they could control.

"Uncles and seniors, Fourth Master has another reason for calling you all here today." Amid the noisy discussions, Ah Biao's voice rang out.

"Fourth Master, just tell us what you need us to do."

Everyone focused their attention on Chang Xiangfeng. Although they had all become influential, their foundation was far inferior to Chang Xiangfeng's, and they still looked to him for leadership.

"Everyone, you've been with me for at least ten years, right?"

Chang Fourth Master patted the armrest of the leather sofa beside him and sighed, "We all started with nothing. We've worked hard to get where we are today. We may not have achieved great success, but at least we are well-off."

The people in Chang Xiangfeng's living room were undoubtedly the old hands who had fought with him in the past. They were all in their fifties now, and their protruding bellies showed their comfortable lives.

"Fourth Master, it's all thanks to following you."

"Exactly, without Fourth Master, we wouldn't be where we are today."

"Fourth Master, just say what you need. We'll do anything for you."

Chang Xiangfeng's words also evoked nostalgia. Their current status in the underworld was something they could never have imagined when they were setting up street stalls and gambling.

"Alright, I'll be straightforward."

Chang Xiangfeng bowed to everyone and said, "I'm getting old and my energy is waning. I'll be stepping down from the companies. I'll keep the dog track for fun, but I won't be involved in other matters."

Chang Xiangfeng's words immediately changed the expressions of everyone in the room. His words clearly indicated that he wanted to retire, and everyone looked at him in disbelief.

After Ah Biao took over Chang Xiangfeng's business, he registered the originally scattered assets into twelve companies. In these twelve companies, Chang Xiangfeng held the majority of the shares. His retirement meant handing over these profitable businesses to the people in the room.

"Fourth Master, you can't abandon us."

"Fourth Master, we can't manage without you. You still need to make the decisions."

"Enough, no more talk."

Chang Xiangfeng sighed, "After following me for so many years, I have one piece of advice for you all. When you've made enough money, it's time to quit. The example of Yuan Bingqi is right in front of us."

To be honest, after Yuan Bingqi's gang was completely dismantled, Chang Xiangfeng did consider taking over his business. But a call from Beijing extinguished his ambitions. The caller directly told Chang Xiangfeng that "prostitution, gambling, and drugs" were strictly prohibited by the state. The current leniency would lead to even stricter crackdowns, and he advised Chang Xiangfeng to be cautious.

The caller was from Jin Tian and now held a high position in the central government. It was through his connections that Chang Xiangfeng had thrived over the years. The caller's straightforward words were clear, and Chang Xiangfeng understood the implications.

After receiving the call, Chang Xiangfeng realized that everything he had was based on the state not targeting him. If he overstepped, his fate would be worse than Yuan Bingqi's.

Chang Xiangfeng knew that as long as he retired, he would be protected by the person in Beijing, and he wouldn't have to worry about anything for the rest of his life. That's why he gathered his subordinates and clearly expressed his intention to retire.

"Fourth Master, rest assured. We are now legalizing our businesses and will be careful."

"Fourth Master, we won't cause trouble. Yuan Bingqi's involvement in drugs was his own fault."

After Chang Xiangfeng spoke, the room fell silent. Although everyone understood his meaning, they thought it was the Yuan Bingqi case that had affected him.

"Alright, thank you all. When the share transfers are processed, I'll have Ah Biao handle it with you."

Chang Xiangfeng felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. He didn't want to live in exile abroad at his age. At his age, he just wanted to live comfortably.

Chang Fourth Master's retirement caused some chaos in Jin Tian for a while, but without an organization, those people quickly became scattered and less harmful to society.

Not only Chang Xiangfeng's organization, but also the other major underworld figures in Jin Tian became more low-key after the Yuan Bingqi incident, changing the atmosphere of the entire city.

This was expected. As the gateway to Beijing, the major case in Jin Tian had directly alarmed the highest levels of government. Under these circumstances, the governance of Jin Tian was inevitable.

As time passed, the impact of the Yuan Bingqi case gradually diminished, and many people even forgot about the case that had happened more than half a year ago.

However, ten months later, the public announcement of the verdict in the Yuan Bingqi drug trafficking and manufacturing case caused a huge stir in Jin Tian. Many people attended the hearing to listen to the verdict of the largest drug trafficking and manufacturing case in Northern China since the founding of the People's Republic.

Yuan Bingqi and the four technical personnel from the drug manufacturing factory were sentenced to death for drug trafficking and manufacturing, with their political rights permanently revoked. The dignity of the law was upheld in the courtroom.

The key members of Yuan Bingqi's criminal organization were also severely punished. Long, Hu, and Xiong were sentenced to death for intentional murder, sharing the same fate as Yuan Bingqi.

As for Chen Yu and others, they were sentenced to terms ranging from three years to life imprisonment based on their individual crimes.

The once formidable Yuan Bingqi criminal organization, which had dominated the underworld in Jin Tian, became a thing of the past and was quickly forgotten by ordinary people.

"Blue-faced Dou Erdun steals the imperial horse, red-faced Guan Yu battles at Changsha, yellow-faced Dian Wei, white-faced Cao Cao, black-faced Zhang Fei shouts loudly..."

As winter turned to spring, Qin Feng, who had been in Jin Tian for nearly a year, sat in the courtyard of a siheyuan, swaying his head to the Beijing-flavored "Singing the Face Paintings." After the song appeared on the Spring Festival Gala, it quickly became popular throughout the city.

Qin Feng, now eighteen, had a firm beard on his chin, no longer the soft down of his youth. However, his clear and handsome face still made him look like a big boy.

"Hey, you really know how to enjoy yourself. Why don't I have such good luck?"

The door was pushed open from the outside. The large yellow dog at Qin Feng's feet was about to pounce but relaxed when it recognized the visitor.

"Director Hu, you're now riding high. Living like me would drive you crazy, wouldn't it?"

Seeing the police inspector's rank on Hu Baoguo's shoulder, Qin Feng couldn't help but laugh. Although Hu Baoguo had become Director Hu, his straightforward personality remained unchanged.

PS: First update. A few votes would be great to motivate me to write more. I have no drafts today, so everything is fresh. If you don't have votes, a few recommendations would be appreciated! (To be continued. Search for Piaotian Literature for faster updates. Mobile users, please visit m. for reading.)