Official Career Storm

Chapter 1652

The words were spoken by Song Guanchao, but Mr. Du replied to Fu Ying, clearly disregarding Song Guanchao.

Song Guanchao noticed the subtle change but didn’t mind.

Fu Ying’s eyes dimmed, she sighed inwardly, unsure of how to respond.

Song Guanchao smiled and said, "Mr. Du, why not listen to me before making a decision?"

"No need." Mr. Du said, "I currently have no intention of relocating."

He rejected it outright, with no room for negotiation.

Song Guanchao picked up his teacup, took a sip calmly, unbothered by whether he listened, and went on speaking, "Mr. Du, you probably haven’t heard about what happened in Pinghai over the past few days, have you?"

Mr. Du listened but did not respond.

Song Guanchao said, "The City Committee and Municipal Government arrested over a hundred people."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Du was shocked, his pupils quaking.

His eyebrows rose and fell, then frowned tightly together, filled with suspicion, clearly not believing it.

However, he felt it was unlikely they would lie about something like this.

This matter ought to be true.

Mr. Du’s previously calm mind was stirred again.

Secretary Xue, Mayor Fang... they were actually arrested!

He calmed down, smiled, and said, "This matter will likely spread soon, then there will be more people coming to Pinghai to contact us."

Song Guanchao raised his eyebrows, understanding what he meant.

He was hinting that, even if he decided to relocate the company, there were plenty of options.

Song Guanchao chuckled lightly and said, "Does Mr. Du think the leaders of Wu Province will allow local companies to flow out?"

"If Mr. Du has plans to relocate the company, I advise you to make a decision early."

"If you wait any longer, when the leaders of Wu Province react, even if you want to leave, you probably won’t be able to."

Mr. Du wanted to say it’s unnecessary for him to worry, but following his words deeper, he realized his reminder was indeed necessary.

These officials in Pinghai have just been arrested, and the provincial leaders haven’t noticed them yet.

Once they react, they are sure to find people to communicate with them, giving them corresponding promises to keep them in Pinghai and not relocate their companies.

When that time comes, as Song Guanchao said, even if he wants to leave, he won’t be able to.

Mr. Du thought, he indeed had plans to relocate the company, or rather, every company that had been extorted had considered this.

Previously, when Secretary Xue and others hadn’t been arrested, they didn’t dare act, fearing they might anger Secretary Xue and be framed with some trumped-up charges and detained.

However, even if Mr. Du wanted to move to another city to continue developing, he couldn’t pick Dujiang City, a county-level city with little development prospects.

Then he heard Song Guanchao continue, "What Dujiang City can guarantee you includes preferential policies and secondly, the bribes you were extorted for."

"As long as Mr. Du comes to Dujiang, Mayor Fu can promise you that the illicit funds will be returned to you in full."

Illicit funds?

Mr. Du’s eyes lit up.

He was extorted for over ten million, which is no small sum.

However, he did not particularly like Song Guanchao’s tone.

Mr. Du stared at him and asked, "Is Director Song’s implication that I must sign an investment agreement with Dujiang City to receive the illicit funds?"

Song Guanchao smiled and said, "Mr. Du, don’t misunderstand, I’m merely explaining the situation. Mr. Du also knows how many companies were extorted by Secretary Xue and others."

"If the illicit funds are to be returned, priority will be given to the major ones. By the time it comes to you, Mr. Du, whether there’s any illicit funds left, and how much, is uncertain."

"But if Mr. Du is willing to come to Dujiang, we are willing to help pull some strings, so the illicit funds will be returned first to you."

Mr. Du’s expression soured, even though Song Guanchao’s words sounded nice, essentially they were threatening him with the illicit funds.

He was silent for a few seconds before asking, "If I go to Dujiang City, can Director Song guarantee the return of the illicit funds?"

"I can!"

"Ha."

Mr. Du chuckled lightly, the more confident and assured his words were, the less Mr. Du believed him.

How could a small director of a prefecture-level city have such confidence?

"I forgot to introduce myself." Seeing Mr. Du clearly doubtful, Song Guanchao extended his right hand, saying, "Office Director of Jiangzhou Municipal Government, Song Guanchao."

The mocking smile on Mr. Du’s face froze at the corner of his mouth.

Jiangzhou?

The capital of Nanjiang Province?

This Director Song is actually a deputy departmental-level leader!

He was dumbfounded, his expression hard to manage, somewhat bewilderedly looking at Fu Ying.

Fu Ying said, "The corruption issues in Pinghai were discovered by Director Song. Secretary Xue and Mayor Fang were personally arrested by Director Song. Additionally, the illicit funds are currently being overseen by Director Song."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Du’s thoughts ignited rapidly.

After a while, he looked fixedly at Song Guanchao, no longer having any mocking disdain on his face, replacing it with a gentle and humble smile.

"So Director Song is from Jiangzhou City."

Mr. Du cursed inwardly, thinking this guy was too good at teasing, only revealing his identity now after meeting, was it intentional?

He calmed down, saying, "I have quite an interest in Jiangzhou City."

The implication being, if the company were moved to Jiangzhou, he would be willing.

Yet he felt a bit anxious inside.

Because from the start, Song Guanchao had been inviting him to Dujiang City.

This made him feel very odd.

Song Guanchao shook his head and said, "Mr. Du, we are discussing Dujiang City. As for Jiangzhou City, let’s forget it."

Mr. Du’s eyebrows furrowed, feeling pressured to go to Dujiang City?

"Mr. Du, don’t underestimate Dujiang City." Song Guanchao couldn’t use the morning’s negotiation tactics with Chairman Zhu on Mr. Du.

After all, Chairman Zhu was aligned with Jiangzhou City, whereas Mr. Du was aligned with Dujiang City.

One was a provincial capital, one a county-level city, truly incomparable.

He could only employ both soft and hard tactics to make him willingly accept.

"Dujiang City used to be a county under Lingjiang, but under my governance, it was elevated to a county-level city."

"In no more than two years, Dujiang City will be financially independent from Lingjiang, directly under the jurisdiction of Nanjiang Province."

"Dujiang City’s economy has been thriving in the past year, and these statistics are verifiable, Mr. Du can thoroughly understand them."

"Moreover, Mr. Du’s company doesn’t have strict demands on the city, the costs of first and second-tier large cities are higher instead, in comparison, Dujiang City can offer generous policy benefits, labor costs, and expenses which are also lower."

"Finally, the matter of the return of illicit funds."

Song Guanchao smiled faintly and lowered his voice, saying, "I won’t talk empty words with Mr. Du, as long as Mr. Du signs the investment contract, the illicit funds will be returned to your account within three days. You won’t even need to wait for your company to settle in Dujiang."

During the morning negotiations with Chairman Zhu and subsequent talks by Zhou Xingjian and others, the process of returning the illicit funds was after those companies settled in Jiangzhou.

Since Dujiang City is a county-level city, to attract his investment, it must show enough sincerity.

Mr. Du listened, visibly moved, yet still unable to make a decision.

Song Guanchao did not rush him, took out a cigarette, and offered one to him, Mr. Du took it and smoked, pondering for the time it takes for half a cigarette, then said, "Alright."