Free Web NovelHu Jintao went to Jiang Zemin’s room, where he was waiting before attending the full meeting.
Jiang Zemin was gathered with members of the Shanghai faction, discussing countermeasures.
At Hu Jintao’s sudden visit, Jiang Zemin frowned.
“What brings Chairman Hu Jintao here? Did you come to mock me as the victor?”
At the word victor, Hu Jintao’s smile deepened.
“I would like to speak with Chairman Jiang alone.”
Jiang Zemin’s frown deepened further. Hu Jintao’s tone was different from before.
He had never once spoken to him like that.
“Chairman Hu Jintao. Did you dare come here to mock me?”
“If you are comfortable discussing this in front of everyone, then so be it. But for Chairman Jiang’s sake, I would recommend speaking privately.”
“...Everyone, leave.”
After staring at Hu Jintao for a moment, Jiang Zemin ordered the room cleared.
“Chairman. This seems like something we should all hear. We will remain.”
However, Jia Qinglin glared at Hu Jintao and did not rise from his seat.
“Chairman of the CPPCC. Are you ignoring me?”
“...Ignore you? Of course not. I have never once opposed Chairman Jiang’s opinion. But the situation is different now, isn’t it? Chairman Hu Jintao is trying to kill all of us. If Chairman Jiang intends to compromise with him, shouldn’t we know about it as well?”
“Jia Qinglin!”
As the others glanced around nervously and began nodding in agreement with Jia Qinglin, Jiang Zemin slammed the table.
“I won’t repeat myself. Leave.”
“Chairman...”
“I said leave. I will tell everyone later what was discussed.”
Jia Qinglin let out a deep sigh and rose from his seat.
Once he stood up, the others followed.
“Then we’ll head to the conference hall first.”
Jiang Zemin nodded silently, and they all began filing out.
As they left, they did not forget to glare at Hu Jintao.
Even though Hu Jintao was the top authority in Chinese power, none of them showed him any respect.
You bastards. I’ll make you regret it.
Hu Jintao gritted his teeth inwardly while maintaining a smile.
Once everyone had left, Jiang Zemin finally gestured for Hu Jintao to sit.
“So. What is it you want to say?”
Jiang Zemin asked the moment Hu Jintao sat down.
Hu Jintao skipped any pleasantries and went straight to the point.
“Why did you do it?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know. There may be no physical evidence, but there is more than enough circumstantial evidence. No one believes those people moved without Chairman Jiang’s approval.”
Jiang Zemin smirked and raised the corner of his mouth.
“Circumstantial evidence is merely suspicion, isn’t it? In that case, if I suspect that you staged the whole thing yourself, does that make it the truth?”
“Don’t talk nonsense. Don’t try to derail the issue.”
“So you came here to confront me? Should someone of your position really be so impulsive?”
Despite Hu Jintao’s pressure, Jiang Zemin showed no sign of backing down.
His mocking tone only made Hu Jintao grit his teeth.
“If you intend to drive me out, bring real evidence. Otherwise it’s just baseless claims. I fully support a thorough investigation into the assassination attempt against you. I’ll personally say so at today’s full meeting.”
He was essentially declaring he would cut off the tail himself.
Hu Jintao snorted and replied sharply.
“I don’t need Chairman Jiang’s help. I can handle it myself.”
“Then why did you come here? Surely not just to vent your emotions.”
Jiang Zemin deliberately prodded Hu Jintao, watching his reaction carefully.
“Know this. Things will not go the way you want today. If your demands are reasonable, we may agree since you were attacked. But Shanghai is absolutely off the table.”
Jiang Zemin brought it up first. And he didn’t stop there—he even attempted negotiations.
“Be satisfied with Beijing. And the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission can be someone of your choosing. Isn’t that the most important thing?”
He spoke arrogantly, as if he were being generous.
“On one condition. Break your alliance with Kim Muhyuk.”
In exchange for that concession, he demanded something absurd.
Let go of the hand he had joined with Kim Muhyuk.
Hu Jintao stared into Jiang Zemin’s eyes for a long moment before speaking.
“Chairman Jiang seems to be misunderstanding something. I didn’t come here to listen to such demands.” free𝑤ebnovel.com
“Then why did you come?”
“I intend to take both Beijing and Shanghai. And I will fill the vice chairmanships of the Central Military Commission with my own people.”
“That is excessive greed. If you reach too far, you might end up with nothing. You still don’t understand politics.”
Though Jiang Zemin spoke as if lecturing a child, Hu Jintao merely scoffed.
“You told me to break my alliance with President Kim Muhyuk? I don’t understand why Chairman Jiang dislikes that man so much. Among businessmen, who holds more goodwill toward China than he does?”
“He’s an unscrupulous man who dares to try to manipulate China’s economy, despite being nothing more than a Korean businessman. He should know his place.”
Jiang Zemin’s voice carried anger.
Hu Jintao slowly stroked his chin.
“And what if that man who doesn’t know his place gave me a very nice gift?”
“A gift?”
“A gift large enough to bring down Chen Liangyu.”
“What? Bring down who? You can’t possibly mean Secretary Chen of Shanghai.”
Seeing Jiang Zemin’s bewildered reaction, Hu Jintao burst into loud laughter.
“Yes. That very Secretary Chen. Even Chairman Jiang cannot protect him. He crossed a line that must never be crossed.”
“What line?”
“Chen Liangyu touched the social security fund. Do you know what that fund is? It’s money meant for our people. Yet he used it for personal gain!”
After a long silence, Jiang Zemin asked in a strained voice.
“...Do you have evidence?”
“Evidence? There’s no physical proof yet. But Secretary Chen arranged for a loan from the social security fund to the company where his son worked. If it were a solid company, that would be understandable. But as repayment, his son—who was merely an ordinary employee—was promoted all the way to vice president.”
In return for securing the corrupt loan, Chen Liangyu’s son was promoted.
His annual salary reached 400,000 yuan.
“Do you know what the company did with the loan? It used the money to acquire shares in Xinhuangpu Group, run by Chairman Wu Minglie—one of Secretary Chen’s closest associates. Do you think that’s a coincidence?”
Wu Minglie had maintained a close relationship with Chen Liangyu for years.
It began when he gifted Chen’s father a luxury house, and from then on he provided constant support.
He even paid off the credit card bills Chen Liangyu’s family used overseas.
In exchange, he secured the illegal loan.
“That company merely served as a conduit. In the end, the group was placed directly into the son’s hands. Do you understand now, Chairman Jiang?”
Jiang Zemin said nothing.
He simply bit his lip.
Bribery allegations?
Those could be buried.
Personal scandals?
Those were an unspoken taboo.
But the social security fund was an entirely different matter.
“What will you do? Protect him?”
When Jiang Zemin could not answer immediately, Hu Jintao continued.
“Do you think that’s the end? Jia Qinglin—the man who mocked me earlier—accepted gold bars and various bribes from Lai Changxing.”
“Lai Changxing? Is all of this the scheme of that bastard Kim Muhyuk? Are you really planning to stand against me over a mere businessman?!”
“Chairman Jiang, assess the situation properly. I came to see you personally to give you a chance. Bringing down Jia Qinglin would not set a good precedent. A Standing Committee member should always be allowed to finish their term safely, don’t you think?”
Jiang Zemin gritted his teeth at Hu Jintao’s pretended generosity.
“...What do you want?”
“Now we’re talking.”
Hu Jintao smiled victoriously and began listing his demands.
* * *
I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing early in the morning.
The phone on the table kept ringing loudly.
Forcing my heavy eyelids open, I got out of bed.
I reached for the phone and checked the number on the screen.
It was a call from China.
“...This is Kim Muhyuk.”
I walked slowly to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of water.
—This is Wen Jiabao, President Kim Muhyuk.
“Ah... Prime Minister.”
—Were you sleeping?
“Haha. Yes. I went to bed rather late last night, so I’m still a bit groggy.”
—My apologies. Are you able to talk?
I drained the cold bottle of water in one gulp before answering.
“Of course. A call from the Prime Minister is always welcome. Just a moment.”
When I stepped out of the suite, Director Ma and the bodyguards who had been waiting outside approached me.
I pressed the mute button and spoke to Director Ma.
“Director. Order coffee and toast through room service. Your room has anti-surveillance equipment installed, right?”
“Yes, Boss. Everything is prepared.”
I entered the room where Director Ma and the bodyguards had been staying.
The guards resting inside immediately jumped to their feet.
Director Ma signaled them to leave at once, and they quickly packed their things and exited.
“Please open the curtains.”
Sunlight poured in as Director Ma pulled the curtains aside.
Enjoying the bright sunlight, I turned off the mute.
“Prime Minister. You may speak now.”
—The full meeting hasn’t ended yet. I called to inform you of the interim results.
The Chinese Communist Party Central Committee’s full meeting never ended in just one day.
Normally it lasted three or four days.
Although this meeting had been convened urgently, the schedule seemed similar.
“I see. How’s the atmosphere?”
—It’s unfolding much as you predicted.
Wen Jiabao then explained in detail what had happened yesterday.
Just as expected.
A satisfied smile crept onto my lips.
“Chairman Hu Jintao accepted your proposal.”
I had deliberately told Hu Jintao to visit Jiang Zemin and seek a political compromise.
If we could have strangled Jiang Zemin completely, I would have done so without hesitation.
But we had found no direct link between him and Lai Changxing.
Neither Lai Changxing’s testimony nor the evidence we obtained tied him directly.
In that case, it was better to force him to step down rather than half-strangle him.
—You told us to do it. Chairman Hu Jintao agreed readily.
“So you reached an agreement before the full meeting began. How many people are being removed?”
All the Standing Committee members were split between Hu Jintao’s faction and Jiang Zemin’s faction.
Without compromise, the meeting could not conclude.
—The party secretaries and mayors of Shanghai and Beijing will be divided between our side and the princelings.
Beijing, China’s capital.
Shanghai, the engine of China’s economy.
Politically, they were the two most important cities.
Controlling both would drastically limit Jiang Zemin’s maneuvering room.
—Chairman Jiang had no choice. The evidence you provided was too significant. Chen Liangyu will be investigated by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection after this meeting ends. As for Jia Qinglin, the investigation will begin once his term ends.
So long as nothing interferes, everything was unfolding exactly as I wanted.
I chuckled quietly and asked another question.
“Everything is going according to our plan. Good work. By the way, who will become the next Shanghai Party Secretary?”
—I deliberately revealed Xi Jinping’s weakness as you instructed. Originally Vice Chairman Zeng Qinghong was supposed to take Shanghai while Chairman Hu Jintao would take Beijing.
I had no intention of watching Xi Jinping seize power in China again like in my previous life.
So I decided to weaken his influence.
Fortunately, it seemed to have worked perfectly.
“Were they really pushing Xi Jinping as I predicted?”
—Yes. But how did you know? That the Vice Chairman was supporting him.
Xi Jinping had not yet even entered China’s central political # Nоvеlight # stage.
It would naturally seem strange that I knew about him.
“I gathered various intelligence reports and reached that conclusion. Zeng Qinghong would support Xi Jinping.”
—Impressive. President Kim, your information network is truly astonishing.
Wen Jiabao sounded genuinely impressed.
As a regressor who knew the future, I had learned to accept such praise with humility.
“So Xi Jinping has fallen?”
—Yes. There won’t be an investigation, but he won’t be entering central politics either.
“No investigation?”
—The Vice Chairman seems closely connected to Xi Jinping, so we decided not to stir up a hornet’s nest. Instead, the Bo Xilai we recommended has been nominated as the next Shanghai Party Secretary.
That was also my suggestion.
I had subtly urged Wen Jiabao to push Bo Xilai.
“I’m sure Bo Xilai will be pleased to hear that.”
I wasn’t happy that Xi Jinping would not be investigated.
But I was satisfied that the man I supported, Bo Xilai, had been nominated.
Neither Jiang Zemin, Zeng Qinghong, nor Hu Jintao had any reason to oppose him.
“Good work.”
—I will contact you again once everything is finalized. Nothing has been officially decided yet.
“Very well. I’ll contact Bo Xilai myself.”
—Yes. Please do. But make sure he doesn’t reveal anything.
“Don’t worry. He’s not foolish enough to ruin a nearly finished meal.”
Bo Xilai had many weaknesses.
Enough that I could easily keep him under control.
My call with Wen Jiabao ended.
With a satisfied expression, I looked down over the city of Seoul.
Today, the city below the floor-to-ceiling window looked especially lively.
