Chapter 343 The Pawns Under the Chessboard Mountain

It was Zou Yuanshan who asked Li Tianlan to meet him, but the place where they met was in the first building of Jiangzhe councilors’ compound.

That was Wu Zhengmin’s residence.

Wu Zhengmin’s entry into the Cabinet had become a foregone conclusion. The Organization Department of Zhongzhou State had issued documents as early as a few days ago. The entire Jiangzhe had suffered violent turbulence due to that. The councilors’ compound of Jiangzhe had been extremely lively in recent days with an endless stream of principal leaders of each department at the provincial level and at the prefectural level visiting it.

Wu Zhengmin had been operating Jiangzhe for more than 20 years and had served as its top leader for nearly 20 years. His deep roots were laid bare when he was about to leave office. Each car in and out of the councilors’ compound was enough to illustrate the old man’s almost magical control over Jiangzhe.

The southeastern part of Zhongzhou State was very lively this year.

The most lively area was Jiangzhe.

It was lively but not in a shambles.

Wu Zhengmin’s departure from Jiangzhe would bring about a huge impact, but his next position was acceptable. He would enter the Decision Making Committee and serve as the vice-minister of Zhongzhou State with real power. He would be in charge of business affairs, finance, market-oriented economy, quality inspection, customs, and tourism of Zhongzhou State in the Cabinet. Although he was the last on the ranking list, he held the true real power. That was undoubtedly the result of the secret support of the Giant Group and Li Honghe. Meanwhile, it was announced to the entire Jiangzhe that Wu Zhengmin did not lose his power and influence after his departure. Such a move could not wholly stabilize the public feelings, but at least it would not make the entire official circles of Jiangzhe panicky.

This was the first and crucial step in stabilizing Jiangzhe.

All the Li family’s subsequent moves would make sense only if Wu Zhengmin remained in power.

When Li Tianlan arrived at the councilors’ compound located on Shengfu Road of Lin’an, it was just past 9 a.m.

Wu Zhengmin’s secretary personally stood at the door to greet him.

The secretary shared Li Tianlan’s surname, and his given name was Tong. He was plain and reserved. He reached out his hand to stop Li Tianlan’s car, pulled open the front passenger door, and got in, saying with a smile, “Your Highness, I am Li Tong. The secretary and the governor are strolling in the yard. They asked me to come and fetch you.”

Li Tianlan nodded with a smile, and his eyes were calm.

He had been getting familiar with the materials of some important political figures of Jiangzhe in the past few days. Li Tong, as the secretary of Jiangzhe’s top leader, had his profile among them, of course. But compared with the thirteen councilors of Jiangzhe, Li Tong’s information was much more ambiguous. The Wang family of Beihai and Kunlun City teamed up to attack Li Honghe. The series of changes that followed was so rapid and hasty that no one else was prepared, not even the Li family themselves. It was totally unrealistic for Li Tianlan to integrate into the circle of higher-ups of Jiangzhe in such a few days. He had to bite the bullet to come here today, though this action seemed to drive a duck onto a perch. Without meeting Wu Zhengmin, it was hard for him to know what kind of person Li Tong was.

The black Audi slowly pulled into the gate of the councilor’s compound.

At the same time, an Audi with the license of Yong City slowly drove out.

Two cars passed by.

Li Tianlan glanced at it.

It was the No. 1 car in Yong City.

“It’s the car of Secretary Ji of Yong City,” Li Tong whispered.

He looked out the window at the departing Audi with open admiration.

“Secretary Ji Ankang of Yong City,” Li Tianlan said with a smile.

In the information he studied, the deputy secretary of Jiangzhe, Ji Ankang of Yong City, was of great significance. So he could understand the admiration in Li Tong’s eyes.

Because Ji Ankang could be regarded as Li Tong’s predecessor. Besides, he was the first secretary and the most trusted subordinate of Wu Zhengmin in those days. Wu Zhengmin had strongly recommended Ji Ankang as the top leader of Yong City to the higher-ups. Meanwhile, to balance Wang Jingxin in Lin’an, he had promoted Ji Ankang to the position of deputy secretary forcibly. In today’s Jiangzhe, Ji Ankang appeared to be a vassal, but in fact, he was the genuine third in charge of the whole Jiangzhe.

The information which was given by Qin Weibai and Li Honghe clearly pointed out that in the absence of Wu Zhengmin, Zou Yuanshan was almost undefeated in his competition with Wang Jingxin as long as Ji Ankang was still in power.

Li Tianlan drove thoughtfully.

The car passed the first building of the councilors’ compound and came to the Checkerboard Mountain inside the councilors’ compound.

The Checkerboard Mountain was verdant, but it didn’t give people a sense of exuberant vitality. Instead, it appeared to be a bit desolate in the viridity.

Above the Checkerboard Mountain was the Chessboard Temple.

Li Tianlan walked along the mountain road to the west and finally saw two men standing side by side in front of an ancient mountain wall.

Wu Zhengmin’s hair was streaked with grey before it could be dyed black. He was saying something.

Zou Yuanshan, the new governor who came to Jiangzhe from Zhongyuan, stood in front of Wu Zhengmin, high-spirited and vigorous.

The mountain wall behind them was engraved with the entire roll of Amitabha Sutrain in ancient and clear writing. Li Tianlan watched this scene quietly. Even though he was a dull man in all aspects, he could clearly feel the heavy and solemn atmosphere mixed with power as he looked at the two men in his sight.

He took a deep breath, opened the door, got off, and walked over.

As Zou Yuanshan saw Li Tianlan, he smiled and waved his hand.

It was their second meeting.

But unlike the easy-going brother-in-law that Li Tianlan met in Huating’s councilors’ compound for the first time, Zou Yuanshan was now steady and aggressive, and every move of his was dignified. The only thing that remained unchanged was the gentle way he looked at Li Tianlan.

He shook hands with Li Tianlan and immediately introduced another man to him with a chuckle. “Tianlan, this is Secretary Wu.”

Li Tianlan did not reach out to Wu Zhengmin.

He walked up to Wu Zhengmin, bent down very seriously, bowed, and called him Grandpa Wu.

Wu Zhengmin was an old friend of Li Honghe.

Li Tianlan called him Grandpa Wu. He deserved that address anyway.

He was Li Honghe’s most valued talent at the time, and his performance had never disappointed anyone.

In the two decades since the collapse of the Li family, facing the covetous stare of the Wang family of Beihai and the open and covert attacks from other groups, he had always stayed in Jiangzhe, guarding the last and most crucial foundation for the Li family. Not only did he stand firm in his career, but he was even able to promote his first secretary to the third in charge.

For more than 20 years, every political storm in Jiangzhe could fully demonstrate Wu Zhengmin’s unfathomable political wisdom. If the Li family was still at the peak of its glory, with Wu Zhengmin’s ability, how could he stop his career in Jiangzhe? It was even possible for him to quest for power in the Cabinet.

Wisdom, resources, boldness, and loyalty.

There was hardly a flaw in Wu Zhengmin.

He was the real, able man.

He had waited for more than two decades in silence and with persistence. He welcomed the present situation and eventually won the respect of all.

Such silence was even more powerful than the desperate bellows of too many people.

“Don’t stand on ceremony.”

Wu Zhengmin smiled and helped Li Tianlan up. There was something in his eyes. Looking at Li Tianlan’s young face, he whispered, “This situation is hard-earned. From now on, everything is up to you.”

“Rest assured, Grandpa Wu.”

Li Tianlan’s voice was soft, but there was only firmness instead of the slightest guilt in it.

“Given the present situation, I can only temporarily handed over Jiangzhe to Yuanshan.”

Wu Zhengmin sighed. “Today I asked you here for nothing but to express an attitude to others—even if I leave Jiangzhe, the Li family still has a successor who is so prominent that the Giant Group will build their next clique with you at its core. Only in this way can these people in Jiangzhe maintain their confidence and hope. If you have nothing to do this afternoon, you and Yuanshan will walk with me. It is estimated that quite a few people must be seen.”

“Okay.”

Li Tianlan nodded, calm as water.

“Ankang has just been here. He has made it clear that he will support the work of Yuanshan. As long as Ankang is still there, nothing serious will happen in three years, even if I leave Jiangzhe. Tianlan, time is limited. The next three years will be of the utmost importance to you, to me, to Yuanshan, and to the whole Li family. It all depends on your performance in the next three years.”

Wu Zhengmin looked at Li Tianlan with a gentle look. “Do you have confidence?”

Li Tianlan nodded in silence.

He understood what Wu Zhengmin meant.

The once-in-a-decade leadership transition of Zhongzhou State would come three years later. If there were no accident, Wu Zhengmin would definitely retire. After all, he was too old to serve for another term of office. Once Wu Zhengmin retired, the situation in Jiangzhe would be unpredictable. By then, whether Zou Yuanshan, the governor of Jiangzhe, could take over Wu Zhengmin’s position would be the key.

If Zou Yuanshan could not stay in Jiangzhe, the Li family would surely sway amid the raging storm again. Even if Zou Yuanshan could obtain a position that was not inferior to the one in Jiangzhe by then, the Wang family of Beihai, which had controlled Jiangzhe again, would not allow the Li family to live comfortably. If Zou Yuanshan were forced to leave, it would even affect the layout of the Giant Group.

It was the real depiction of “a slight move in one part may affect the situation as a whole”.

It was difficult for the Li family to make any real big moves in Jiangzhe in three years.

So everything was on top of Li Tianlan.

The real test of the Li family’s survival would come three years later.

To what extent Li Tianlan could do could even directly determine the Li family’s final result.

What he had to do, however, was much more than make sure that his Martial Arts would advance by leaps and bounds. He, too, had to let his force expand rapidly, at least to ensure that Zou Yuanshan was in power in Jiangzhe.

It was the bottom line and the biggest goal, too.

“Rest assured, Grandpa Wu.”

Li Tianlan took a deep breath. His tone was not impassioned. “The rest is up to me.”

Wu Zhengmin nodded, saying meaningfully, “When a pawn crosses the river, it has no retreat but to go forward.”

“Everyone is a pawn,” Zou Yuanshan whispered.

…

The general trend was like a chessboard.

Every turbulence on the chessboard was the interlacement of the black and white, like Go.

…

But when it came to the Li family, the general trend was also a chessboard.

But because they had so few pieces, each piece must have a more distinct purpose.

It was just like Chinese chess.

Wu Zhengmin’s transfer from Jiangzhe to Youzhou was to cross the river.

Zou Yuanshan’s transfer from Zhongyuan to Jiangzhe was the same.

The same was true for Li Tianlan’s departure from Jiangzhe.

They were all pawns that crossed the river.

They could only forge ahead.

On the Checkerboard Mountain.

In front of the Chessboard Temple.

The three stood quietly, like three pawns on a chessboard who took the lead to cross the river.

Before they reached the destination, they must move forward together and never turn round..

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