Wind Rises in Dragon City Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Setting the Table and Talking Numbers

The name "Fuman Tower Restaurant" exuded Chinese cultural heritage, and in fact, it was one of the Fuzhou Chamber of Commerce's properties. It had four floors in total, with both interior and exterior decorations primarily in red and yellow, making it look like an imperial kitchen.

Fuman Tower's business model catered to the masses, with inexpensive dishes and a clientele mainly from the lower and middle classes. As a result, the flow of people was rather mixed, and fights breaking out after people had too much to drink were common occurrences. Moreover, with the backing of the Fuzhou Chamber of Commerce, whenever well-known underworld figures in Zha'nan District had conflicts, they liked to seek mediation from Changqing Company's people or the Fuzhou Chamber of Commerce, and come here to negotiate. In slang terms, this was called "setting the table and talking numbers."

So, in such a place, combined with the recent relationship between the four families - Su, Liu, Bai, and Kong - and Changqing Company, this night was clearly going to produce some sparks.

......

On the fourth floor of Fuman Tower, in the largest Sihai private room, Li Hongze, Lu Feng, and six or seven key members of Changqing Company were all seated in the sofa area on the south side.

After Su Tianyu, Su Tianbei, Kong Zhenghui, and their group entered, the five family members they brought all sat at the dining table waiting, appearing very well-behaved. Then Su Tianyu and the other main negotiators came to sit in the sofa area on the north side of the room.

The Sihai private room was about 160-170 square meters, very spacious. Li Hongze and his people sat facing north with their backs to the south, taking full advantage of the host's position, appearing somewhat imposing.

After both sides were seated, Old Liu, being the eldest, seemed very nervous as he said to Li Hongze: "Boss Li, if our families weren't forced to this point, we definitely wouldn't have taken the lead in causing trouble. The previous conflicts were all out of desperation, please be understanding."

Old Liu was a typical middle-aged man in character. As he got older, his youthful passion had long been exhausted by the years. His urine stream split and was dark yellow. He had neither the ambition to forge ahead nor the courage to fight anyone to the death. Maintaining the status quo was the best outcome for him.

Hearing Old Liu's words, Li Hongze waved his hand casually, smiling as he said: "Let's skip the pleasantries. Everyone's here, so let's get down to business."

"Certainly," Old Liu nodded politely.

"Since Director Wang has given the word, we below need to read the room and know when to stop," Li Hongze said calmly with his legs crossed. "We'll loosen up and release people on our side. The previous conflicts will end with Lu Feng's arrested brothers. From now on, when the dirty gangs in Zha'nan District start work, we'll mind our own business, each managing our own affairs, maintaining prosperity together!"

Hearing this, Old Liu felt relieved and was about to nod in agreement to Li Hongze's words.

"...Boss Li, I'm afraid that won't do," Su Tianyu interjected before Old Liu could respond.

Li Hongze turned to look at Su Tianyu without saying anything, but his eyes held a questioning look.

"Both sides taking a step back and loosening up, that's fine," Su Tianyu said equally calmly. "However, the conflicts in between can't be glossed over with just a few words."

"Can't be glossed over? Then what do you want?" A middle-aged man to Li Hongze's left asked with a fierce look.

"Compensation, of course. I won't mention the strike expenses, that was the cost of the confrontation process, there's no reason to ask anyone for that," Su Tianyu replied, looking directly at him. "But two workers seriously injured, our Su family's garbage yard vandalized and burned, and my Second Brother being cut - these are all real losses, aren't they? This goes beyond the scope of a mere struggle, right? Boss Li glossing it over as 'conflicts' doesn't seem appropriate, does it?"

As the words fell, the room went quiet. Lu Feng lowered his head, fiddling with the tea set on the table without saying a word.

"Hehe, so how much compensation do you want us to pay?" Li Hongze asked with a smile.

"Six hundred thousand," Kong Zhenghui, who had been silent until now, named the price before Su Tianyu could open his mouth.

"Six hundred thousand, I'll fucking give it to you, but can you even spend it?" The burly man beside Li Hongze stood up directly. "We're willing to talk to you because we're giving face to Wang Daolin and Yu Jinrong, understand? You're getting too cocky!"

Kong Zhenghui didn't even look at him, only saying to Li Hongze: "I've already spent nearly two hundred thousand on media. Everything was set up, and only then were you willing to talk. Shouldn't you reimburse me for that money too?"

Li Hongze was silent for a while, not refuting.

Kong Zhenghui looked directly at him, feeling very confident because he thought Li Hongze couldn't withstand the pressure now and had to quickly settle and compromise. Otherwise, if things continued to escalate, Floral Shirt's connection would implicate Lu Feng. If Wang Daolin then sensationalized the shooting case, making it a key case for the Police Bureau, no matter what punishment Changqing Company ultimately faced, they would definitely be labeled as a gang organization by the public. This was absolutely unacceptable for Zheng Fu'an, who supported them.

As for the media, Li Hongze currently didn't have the ability to suppress all public opinion trends. Now that Floral Shirt had been caught with solid evidence, if Kong Zhenghui used the serious injury of workers and the vandalism and burning of the Su family's yard to make a fuss, Li Xing would also be in a difficult position. Because the origin of this incident was the Smuggling Investigation Department arresting the leaders of the four companies, so he would naturally be implicated as well.

Li Hongze still had one card to play - the heads of the four Su, Liu, Bai, and Kong families hadn't been released yet, he could use this to threaten them.

But was it really worth continuing to fight with these four families over six hundred thousand in compensation, making things bigger? Was there any cost-effectiveness to that?

Li Hongze was furious inside, but his mind was very clear. His facial expression remained unchanged as he smiled and nodded: "Just six hundred thousand in cash, right?"

"Yes, just six hundred thousand," Su Tianyu nodded in response.

"Alright, then it's settled," Li Hongze stood up directly, looking at Lu Feng expressionlessly and said: "You messed this up, so you handle the compensation."

Lu Feng nodded without saying anything.

"Alright, you all sit," Li Hongze waved at the four families' people and left the private room with three men from inside.

In the quiet room, Lu Feng squinted at the people before him, softly instructing: "Tell finance to bring six hundred thousand over immediately."

"Okay," the person beside Lu Feng also walked out.

Lu Feng lit a cigarette, glancing at Su Tianyu, his negative emotions already at their peak.

About ten minutes later, Changqing Company's finance person walked in from the office next to Fuman Tower, carrying two plastic bags.

"Is it counted?" Lu Feng asked.

"Yes," the finance person nodded.

Lu Feng pointed at the money bags, cigarette in mouth, and said: "Take it."

On the north side sofa, Old Liu looked at Lu Feng with sweat on his forehead, while Bai Hongbo felt the atmosphere in the room and his balls in his crotch were trembling a bit.

Su Tianyu and Kong Zhenghui exchanged a glance, stood up and grabbed the money bags, saying in unison: "Thank you, Boss Li."

"Let's go!" Su Tianbei called out.

"Bang!"

As soon as the words fell, the fierce man who had been sitting to Li Hongze's left rushed in with a machete, pointing at the four families' people and cursing: "I give it to you, and you really dare to take it?!"

"Brother, don't be rash, there are police officers downstairs," Bai Hongbo stood up and kindly reminded.

The burly man responded swiftly: "I know there are police officers. I'll fucking chop you down now, go downstairs and throw away the knife to turn myself in. It's just prison time, right? I'm prepared to do five years. Changqing people, chop them!!! Don't touch the money, chop them up and throw them down with the money!"

Su Tianyu put down the money bag, grabbed the floor lamp beside the sofa with one hand, and stepped in front of Lu Feng: "I see you hanging your dog head, looking a bit unsatisfied, huh?! Fuck your mother, today right here on your turf, I'll break you!"

"Bang!!!"

The meter-long lamp was swung directly at Lu Feng. The latter suddenly sprang up, raising his arm to block, and the battle officially began.