"Speak freely. We are all deputy county heads of Jiuhmiao County, and Jiuhmiao County is our home. Any matter concerning Jiuhmiao County, we are duty-bound to handle."
Chen Feng replied with a calm expression.
"Deputy County Head Chen, to be honest, I don't know if I should speak about this thorny issue."
Mu Chihwang Mu said hesitantly.
"If you trust my character, speak freely. If you don't, you don't have to."
Chen Feng said, provoking her.
"Deputy County Head Chen, please don't be angry. My hesitation is not about trust. It's because when I discussed this difficult matter with previous deputy county heads, their only options were to stay out of it or collude with them. There was no third choice, which is why I hesitated to speak."
Mu Chihwang Mu explained with a conflicted expression.
"I can probably guess what you want to say."
Chen Feng said with a calm expression.
"Really? I never mention this matter usually, and you can guess it?"
Mu Chihwang Mu asked in surprise.
"Miss Mu Chihwang Mu, are you trying to say that there are dark forces in Jiuhmiao County that severely affect its development? Yet, for years, the leadership of Jiuhmiao County has avoided this issue, or worse, acted as their shield. Is that right?"
Chen Feng's words convinced Mu Chihwang Mu. She believed that Chen Feng was indeed an old hand in officialdom, capable of guessing anything in politics.
"Deputy County Head Chen, you are truly amazing. You guessed it perfectly. Since you've already guessed it, what is your stance? Will you stay out of it, or will you collude with them?"
Mu Chihwang Mu asked tentatively.
"If I chose either of those, do you think I would have come to Jiuhmiao County?"
Chen Feng asked back calmly.
"Deputy County Head Chen, what do you mean?"
Mu Chihwang Mu asked with excitement.
"My intention is very simple: I will completely eradicate the dark forces in Jiuhmiao County!"
Chen Feng said with firm conviction.
"Deputy County Head Chen, you're not just putting on a show, are you?"
Mu Chihwang Mu asked doubtfully.
"Putting on a show? What makes you say that?"
"Deputy County Head Chen, to be frank, several previous leadership teams started with the same attitude as you, wanting to thoroughly dismantle the dark forces in Jiuhmiao County. However, after understanding the powerful background of these forces, they backed down..."
Mu Chihwang Mu whispered.
"Rest assured, I don't do things superficially. My word is my bond."
Chen Feng replied with determination.
"Deputy County Head Chen, since your attitude is so firm, I won't hide anything. I'll directly tell you about the dark forces in Jiuhmiao County. There is only one: the Dawang family. It is said that the Dawang family has connections in the capital, which is why most previous leaders of Jiuhmiao County chose to retreat."
Mu Chihwang Mu explained with a serious expression.
"The Dawang family, I seem to recall them. Are they the leaders of the Miao ethnic group's Miao sect?"
Chen Feng probed.
"Yes, they are the leaders of the Miao sect. They use the Miao sect's banner to act tyrannically in Jiuhmiao County, and the common people dare not speak out."
Mu Chihwang Mu said seriously.
"I am aware of this matter."
Chen Feng replied, lost in thought.
"Deputy County Head Chen, you know about this?"
Mu Chihwang Mu asked in astonishment.
"Not only am I familiar with it, but I also have a solution. The Dawang family's background in the capital is the Deputy Director of the China Religious Affairs Bureau. This Deputy Director, for the sake of his political achievements, deliberately protects the Dawang family because they are the leaders of the Miao sect. He wants to gain political achievements through the Miao sect. It's as simple as that."
Chen Feng explained calmly.
"That's indeed the case, but the problem is, with someone in the capital backing the Dawang family, how can we, at the grassroots level, confront them?"
Mu Chihwang Mu asked worriedly.
"You, and County Head Qin, cannot. The county-level government and the capital's power structure are like heaven and earth. You cannot manage this matter."
Chen Feng said earnestly.
"Then what can we do? Is there no solution?"
Mu Chihwang Mu asked dejectedly.
"It's not without a solution. Don't I have myself?"
Chen Feng replied with a faint smile.
"You can solve this problem? That's not right. Didn't you just say that the county-level government cannot confront the capital's power structure? You are a deputy county head, how can you confront the capital's Religious Affairs Bureau?"
Mu Chihwang Mu asked in confusion.
"If I were merely a county-level official, I certainly couldn't confront the capital's Religious Affairs Bureau. However, I do have some connections in the capital. The Dawang family's Miao sect incident was a mistake from the start. If one has even a little connection in the capital, this matter is very easy to handle."
Chen Feng reassured Mu Chihwang Mu.
"Deputy County Head Chen, you're not joking with me, are you? You're just a grassroots official, and you really have connections in the capital?"
Mu Chihwang Mu asked in astonishment.
"Miss Mu Chihwang Mu, it's like this: a while ago, I went to the Capital University for full-time study, and by chance, I got acquainted with some people in the capital. This time, regarding the Jiuhmiao County Dawang family Miao sect incident, I can ask them for help. Of course, during my time in the capital, you and County Head Qin will have to focus on Jiuhmiao County's economic development. Economic development and the crackdown on evil forces must go hand in hand."
Chen Feng said with a serious expression.
"Deputy County Head Chen, please go to the capital with peace of mind. In Jiuhmiao County, besides me and County Head Qin, the Miao ethnic leader can also work together to improve Jiuhmiao County's economy. You've set the general direction for Jiuhmiao County's economy, and we just need to maintain it. It shouldn't be a big problem. However, I'm worried that the Dawang family might harm you during your trip to the capital."
Mu Chihwang Mu said with concern.
"The Dawang family will definitely try to harm me. In this day and age, disrupting someone's livelihood is like killing their parents. Therefore, I've decided that you will use Jiuhmiao County's propaganda mouthpieces to widely publicize that I intend to deal with the Dawang family, and then I will go to the capital in a week."
Chen Feng said calmly.
"Deputy County Head Chen, you cannot do that. If you widely publicize that you are targeting the Dawang family, and then don't leave Jiuhmiao County immediately, the Dawang family will definitely kill you instantly. This kind of dangerous act must not be done."
Mu Chihwang Mu said earnestly.
Chen Feng was a benefactor to Jiuhmiao County and had contributed greatly. He couldn't die like this.
"Mu Chihwang Mu, I forgot to tell you, I know martial arts."
Chen Feng explained calmly.
"What? You know martial arts?"
Mu Chihwang Mu asked in a daze.
"Yes, I learned traditional Chinese martial arts in my spare time during university. It's more than enough to deal with a few of the Dawang family's thugs. However, that's not the key. The key is that I must lure the snake out of its hole, make the Dawang family come to kill me, and then I can capture evidence. That way, my trip to the capital will be more convincing. Understand?"
Chen Feng continued to explain calmly.
"Deputy County Head Chen, what you said makes a lot of sense. But isn't it too dangerous? This is a matter of life and death, and we cannot be careless."
Mu Chihwang Mu advised Chen Feng with worry.
"If you don't enter the tiger's lair, how can you catch its cubs? As you said, the Dawang family has powerful connections in the capital's political sphere. With the support of the Deputy Director of the China Religious Affairs Bureau, it's difficult to deal with the dark forces in Jiuhmiao County without a desperate struggle. You are not an outsider, so I won't beat around the bush. For the sake of the people's interests, I am not afraid of death. Besides, those few thugs of the Dawang family are no match for me..."
Chen Feng explained with composure.