The photo session took place at a state-run photo studio in the city center. The veteran photographer there, surnamed Han, had taken photos of the children before!
Thanks to his solid skills and knack for entertaining the children during photo sessions, Jiang Xue chose this studio again.
The photo session went smoothly, and all the photos were taken in less than an hour.
After agreeing on the number of prints and a pickup time, the group left the studio.
However, after leaving the studio, the elders didn’t head home; instead, they asked Li Yi to take them to see his company.
They all knew that Li Yi’s business was massive; the venture that had distributed over 200 million yuan in dividends to the Jiang and Ye families was merely a tiny part of his business empire.
So, since they had the time today, both of them wanted to see Li Yi’s company for themselves—to discover just what kind of cash cow it really was.
Naturally, Li Yi wouldn’t refuse the two elders’ request.
He immediately had Zhang Ziqiang and Zhou Wen lead the way, and they set off with the motorcade toward the branch office.
Although it was a day off, when Li Yi and the others arrived at the branch office, there were still a large number of employees hard at work.
Upon asking around, they learned that due to the overwhelming workload, the branch employees hadn’t had a day off in two months; weekend overtime like this was the norm at the company.
Although the two elders, who had lived through the war-torn years, didn’t object to overtime, hearing that the staff hadn’t had a day off in two months still made them frown.
This inevitably reminded them of how capitalists in the old society exploited the working class. They had worked hard for most of their lives to help workers and farmers rise up and take control of their own lives; they certainly didn’t want their own people to end up becoming capitalists. To them, this was an insult—something completely unacceptable…
Seeing this, Li Yi immediately realized the two elders had misunderstood. He promptly called Lan Xinyi over and asked her to explain the situation to them.
Only after hearing that the company paid overtime wages did the two elders’ brows finally relax.
To them, working overtime for free was exploitation; but getting paid for overtime… that was perfectly fine!
And when they learned that Xingchen Company paid ordinary employees 300 yuan a month, along with various benefits and protections, they were both taken aback.
After all, the average wage for ordinary workers at major state-owned factories was only around fifty yuan.
And that was after a raise this year—previously, a third-level technician only made 36 yuan a month.
Even for veterans like them—with five or six years of service—the monthly pay was only 382 yuan. They never expected that even a random ordinary employee here earned as much as they did.
As for the leadership, their salaries were astronomically high.
Especially that woman surnamed Lan—according to her own account, her annual salary was as high as 1 million Hong Kong dollars, which converted to over 300,000 RMB (at the exchange rate of 3:1 at the time). That’s about 30,000 RMB a month—equivalent to 100 times what they earned…
This revelation left the two old men nearly speechless; they didn’t know what to say.
Li Yi immediately explained the company’s salary structure to them. Star Investment was a Hong Kong-funded enterprise, and salaries were set according to Hong Kong Island standards.
On Hong Kong Island, the average salary for ordinary employees ranges from 900 to 1,500 Hong Kong dollars. In industries like investment and finance, salaries are higher, typically reaching over 2,000 Hong Kong dollars, with top performers earning around 3,000.
So a monthly salary of 300 yuan for an ordinary employee here isn’t actually that much; salary levels at foreign-funded companies are generally like this.
Stellar Company’s pay is slightly higher, but it’s not out of line!
After hearing Li Yi’s explanation, the two elderly gentlemen were still unsettled; they were once again struck by just how vast the gap was between China’s economic development and that of other countries.
Li Yi didn’t try to console them; the gap was very real, and no amount of explanation would change that.
Afterward, accompanied by Li Yi, Lan Xinyi, and others, the two elderly gentlemen gained a detailed understanding of the branch office’s operations.
The more they learned, the more astonished they became.
Their grandson-in-law’s company was nothing like the factories they were familiar with. The work methods, management practices, and salary structures were all entirely new to them, and there were many things they simply couldn’t comprehend.
The scale of the operation, in particular, left them speechless.
Although they had previously heard through the grapevine that their grandson-in-law’s business was no small operation, they never imagined it would be on such a massive scale.
Setting aside overseas operations, domestic investments alone had reached over a billion yuan in just a single year.
Currently, there were over two thousand people working directly for their grandson-in-law, and even more working for him indirectly.
At the same time, they finally understood why this young man, despite his obvious capabilities, remained so low-key.
Given his current situation, it really wasn’t wise to be too high-profile; otherwise, he’d easily become a sitting duck!
After leaving the branch office, it was almost dinnertime.
On a whim, Li Yi decided to treat the two elders to a meal at a hot pot and barbecue restaurant.
The elders were aware of the restaurants he had opened and had heard that business was booming, so they were curious to see just how popular they were and readily agreed.
Li Yi didn’t take the elders to the nearest Dong’an Market branch, because he knew it would likely be packed at that hour, with no seats available.
So, he took them to the Beiguancun branch!
Although it was in the suburbs, the restaurant was just as packed thanks to nearby workplaces like the Second State-Owned Cotton Mill, the Parts Factory, and the Foundry.
The two elders gained a whole new appreciation for their grandson-in-law’s business acumen. After all, while there are countless people opening restaurants these days, very few can make a restaurant this popular.
After learning all this, the two elderly gentlemen realized they needed to plan ahead.
Otherwise, if they were to pass away, their grandson-in-law’s vast business empire might well become a tempting target for others…
………….
Goldfish Alley. The Wang Family!
That afternoon, after dropping off Jiang Xue and the two elderly gentlemen, Li Yi drove to Wang Anguo’s home in the capital.
Wang Anguo’s home was located in Goldfish Alley near Dong’an Market. It was a large courtyard with three courtyards, said to have once been the residence of a Grand Secretary during the Qing Dynasty.
When Li Yi arrived, An Hong and Wang Anguo were both at home.
In addition to the couple, Li Gang and two middle-aged men whom Li Yi didn’t recognize were also at the Wang residence. All of them were wearing police uniforms and were seated in a circle in the living room, seemingly discussing something.
After welcoming Li Yi into the house, Wang Anguo immediately pointed to the two middle-aged men beside Li Gang and said, “Brother Li Yi, this is Yin Jianping, the political instructor at our station, and Wu Yue, the deputy chief. Because of me, they’ve both been suspended from duty as well!”
He then turned to Yin Jianping and Wu Yue and said, “Brother Li Yi’s identity is top-secret, so I’m afraid I can’t tell you more, but please believe me—he’s the only one who can save us now!”
Yin Jianping and Wu Yue were both taken aback. Although they hadn’t worked with Wang Anguo for very long, they knew him well enough to realize he wasn’t the type to make baseless claims.
Since he said the young man’s identity was classified, he certainly wasn’t trying to deceive them.
The two immediately stepped forward to greet Li Yi!
Li Yi responded politely in kind; since he’d been dismissed from his post alongside Wang Anguo and Li Gang, these two clearly had impeccable character.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Yin Jianping asked curiously, “Comrade Li Yi, I assume you’re aware of our situation. I’d like to know how you plan to save us?”
Li Yi replied calmly, “That depends on what you’re asking for.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Exactly what I said.”
Li Yi then explained, “If you simply want your disciplinary actions revoked and your positions restored, a single phone call could settle it—though…”
“But what?” Yin Jianping asked urgently.
“But doing so would leave the underlying issues unresolved. You’ll inevitably face difficulties at work in the future. If the other side finds a way to pin something on you, you’ll still be disciplined—or even dismissed!” Li Yi said.
“So do we have other options?” Yin Jianping asked.
“Yes. You could also choose to uproot the problem entirely—eradicate Liu Dongping and the forces behind him, wipe them out completely, and eliminate the threat once and for all!”
As he spoke, Li Yi’s tone was icy, his gaze piercing, and he exuded a powerful aura. He stood like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, making it difficult for anyone to look him in the eye.
His words left everyone in the room wide-eyed and stunned…
……….
Chapter 1,027: Who Says Conviction Always Requires Evidence?
In the Wang family’s living room, the conversation continued!
Upon hearing that Li Yi intended to uproot Liu Dongping and the entire Liu family behind him, Yin Jianping and Wu Yue were both horrified, looking at Li Yi as if he were a fool.
They didn’t know Li Yi or his background, but they knew just how powerful the Liu family was.
Never mind that the Liu family had a serving general stationed at their home; the network formed by Liu Dongping and his henchmen alone was not something an ordinary person could easily provoke, let alone uproot entirely!
Wang Anguo and Li Gang, however, reacted quite differently.
Although they too wore expressions of shock, beyond mere surprise, their reactions were dominated by delight and excitement.
Yin Jianping and Wu Yue were unaware of Li Yi’s true identity, but they knew full well that the Jiang and Ye families stood behind him.
More importantly, they had been working with Li Yi for three years and knew his character inside out.
Li Yi was a man who always kept a low profile, deeply versed in the principle that a dragon in hiding should not reveal itself. Even when he was absolutely certain of something, he would often only reveal seven or eight parts of it—in plain terms, he was very cautious.
But whatever he set out to do, not a single one of those endeavors had been abandoned halfway through.
Since he’d vowed to uproot the Liu family, the Liu family was as good as finished.
At that moment, Wu Yue seemed to snap out of his reverie. He looked at Li Yi and said, “Comrade Li Yi, you may not be fully aware of the Liu family’s situation. Let me tell you…”
Before he could finish, Wang Anguo hurriedly cut him off, saying, “Old Wu, Brother Li Yi is well aware of the Liu family’s situation!”
“He knows everything… then why did he say that? Could it be that he really can uproot the Liu family?”
Wang Anguo didn’t answer his question. Instead, he turned to Li Yi and said, “Brother, did your old man give the word?”
Li Yi nodded and said, “Yes. The old man’s message is that we should go ahead and do whatever it takes. As long as he’s here, the Liu family won’t be able to cause any major trouble!”
“R—really?”
Wang Anguo’s voice trembled slightly, his face brimming with excitement.
He knew all too well just how formidable the Jiang family patriarch’s prestige and standing were within the military. Even now that he had stepped back from the center of power, he was still far beyond what the Liu family patriarch could possibly match.
Not to mention that the second and third generations of the Jiang family were also doing quite well; the Jiang family’s overall strength hadn’t weakened at all because the old patriarch had stepped down—on the contrary, it was becoming more vibrant and dynamic.
With the old patriarch’s backing, they were practically invincible against the Liu family.
Seeing Wang Anguo’s expression, Yin Jianping and Wu Yue felt a stir within them. Their eyes darted back and forth between Li Yi and Wang Anguo several times in quick succession, filled with confusion.
“Old Wang, when you say ‘the Patriarch,’ you mean…”
Hearing this, Wang Anguo was immediately at a loss.
The relationship between Li Yi and the Jiang family patriarch was strictly confidential; he couldn’t just blurt it out to others, even if he trusted Yin Jianping and Wu Yue.
For the moment, he could only cast a pleading glance at Li Yi beside him.
Li Yi clearly understood Wang Anguo’s predicament. He smiled and said, “Since you two are both Brother Wang’s friends, you’re practically family. It’s fine to tell you. My old man’s surname is Jiang. He used to serve in the military, but he’s retired now.”
Surnamed Jiang, served in the military, and has retired!
With these clues stacked together and carefully pieced together, the identity of this mysterious Old Master Jiang became crystal clear.
“Whoa… Could it be that Old Jiang who took out that Japanese lieutenant general back in the day?” Yin Jianping said, his face filled with astonishment.
“That’s right—that was indeed the old man’s crowning achievement!”
Li Yi then changed the subject and added, “Although the old man agreed to step in if necessary, I never intended to ask him to do so!”
“You… you plan to wipe out the Liu family on your own?” Wang Anguo asked in a low voice.
“Exactly. The Liu family is too insignificant to warrant disturbing the Old Master!” Li Yi said haughtily.
“Brother Li Yi, I know you never fight a battle without a sure chance of victory. Just tell us exactly what you plan to do, and we’ll do everything in our power to support you!” Wang Anguo said firmly.
Li Yi paused to think for a moment, then said, “This whole affair started because of that good-for-nothing Liu Dongping, so the breakthrough naturally lies with him. How’s the investigation I asked you to look into coming along?”
Wang Anguo replied immediately, “We reviewed some files in the archives this morning and discovered that crucial evidence from that previous case has vanished—including that scumbag’s testimony and the victim’s statement. It was clearly destroyed deliberately.”
“Furthermore, the young girl who was assaulted has moved away. According to what we learned from her neighbors, her family left immediately after returning from the police station that day. No one knows where they went!”
Upon hearing this, the others in the room fell silent.
They were all smart people; it was obvious to them that someone was cleaning up after Liu Dongping.
Clearly, the people backing Liu Dongping knew full well that certain matters couldn’t withstand scrutiny. To avoid giving anyone ammunition or leaving themselves open to criticism, they had to eliminate every piece of incriminating evidence.
Li Yi’s lips curled slightly as he said with a cold smile, “Destroying evidence, forcing the victim to flee the capital in the dead of night—the Liu family really does act with impunity!”
Wang Anguo sighed and said, “With no evidence and the victim nowhere to be found, it’s going to be no easy task for us to bring down the Liu family.”
“It’s certainly difficult, but not impossible!”
Li Yi then changed the subject and continued, “Brother Wang, that bastard is so brazen—clearly, this isn’t the only crime he’s committed. You guys should go to the archives and do a thorough search to see what other cases involve Liu Dongping.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Yin Jianping immediately replied, “I’ve been working at the station for over twenty years, so I’m quite familiar with Liu Dongping’s history. That beast has been getting into fights and bullying people—both men and women—since he was sixteen or seventeen. Over the years, there have been at least dozens of girls he’s abused.”
“Although most of these young women chose to endure their suffering out of fear of the Liu family’s influence, there were certainly some strong-willed girls who chose to report it to the police. But without exception, just like this time, the cases were swept under the rug.”
“Even if we uncover how many crimes that guy has committed, I doubt there’ll be any evidence strong enough to convict him. In the end, we still won’t be able to bring that scoundrel to justice…”
Before he could finish, Li Yi interjected with a cold laugh: “Who says you need evidence to convict someone?”
“But… without evidence, we really can’t convict him. Even if the suspect confesses, it’s not enough!” Yin Jianping said.
Li Yi smiled and said, “Just do what I’ve told you to do. Don’t worry about the rest—I’ll handle it!”
“Alright, leave it to us!” Wang Anguo said.
Li Yi nodded and added, “For Liu Dongping to show such contempt for the law and retaliate against you so swiftly, he clearly has someone inside the police station backing him up.”
“While you’re at it over the next few days, find out who Liu Dongping’s people are within the police department, then make a list. This time, we’ll get rid of all that trash at once!”
“Alright, that’s easy to find out. A little digging will reveal exactly who’s involved!” Wang Anguo said.
“All right, get to work on this immediately. Notify me the moment you have any leads. Then I’ll show you exactly how I’m going to take down the Liu family!” Li Yi said.
“Got it…”
After discussing the details for a while longer, Li Yi finally left the Wang residence as dusk fell.
However, as soon as Li Yi returned home, he saw one or two cars parked in front of his house.
When Li Yi got a clear look at the license plates, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine…
……….