"Let them put up the seals first."
Chen Feng said with a calm smile.
"Chen Feng, have you not woken up yet? Administrative seals mean production will be halted. So much money has been invested, have you calculated the losses if production stops?"
Cheng Lu suddenly became anxious.
"I have calculated it. Once the administrative seals are up, the losses from stopping production for a day are truly immense in every aspect. However, it's alright. Once they are put up, we'll just have them taken down."
Chen Feng replied with a calm smile.
"Administrative seals are such a serious matter, can they just be taken down as you say? Do you know that tampering with administrative seals is a crime punishable by imprisonment!"
Cheng Lu asked in confusion.
"Of course, I know. But it's fine. To be blunt, administrative seals seem very serious to those outside the political arena. At the higher echelons of power, it's a matter of a single word to have them removed. As I said, the rules of the political arena are often meant to intimidate subordinates. For those at the top, they have no binding power."
"What you said makes sense. But the problem is, if these people put them up and then tear them down, isn't that a pointless exercise?"
Cheng Lu continued to ask in confusion.
"I'm not that bored to be playing tricks with such a serious matter. My intention is very simple: to draw out the owners of the crayfish farms who are causing trouble behind the scenes. If the seals aren't put up, they will definitely not show themselves. Once the seals are up, they will mistakenly believe that the Wulin Village crayfish project has no backing, and their courage will naturally grow, leading them to come forward. Once these people appear, we can prevent them more effectively in the future! Otherwise, if they all hide in the dark, it's impossible to guard against them."
Chen Feng explained briefly.
Cheng Lu was impressed.
Chen Feng truly thought ahead.
As Chen Feng had predicted, the joint inspection team from the Administration for Industry and Commerce affixed seals to many pieces of equipment at the crayfish project. Several crayfish farm owners, who had been lurking in the crowd, began spreading rumors while the iron was hot.
"This Chen Feng fellow is utterly wicked. For the sake of profit, he actually bought cheap feed containing heavy metals. This stuff makes crayfish grow very fast, but it's extremely harmful to human health."
"Not only that, but Chen Feng is also seeking attention by promoting some new asphalt material, which is pure taxation on intelligence and disrupts market order. Such a black-hearted boss must be banned."
"I heard that Chen Feng used to drive for a leader in Mingshan Town. Because he was too eager for quick success and fawned over the wrong person, he was demoted to be the village head of Wulin Village. A leopard can't change its spots. He's still not honest even in Wulin Village. In my opinion, it shouldn't just be seals; he should be thrown in jail."
...
Just as several crayfish farm owners were animatedly spreading rumors, Chen Feng calmly stopped the joint inspection team from the Administration for Industry and Commerce who were about to leave.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please stay."
Chen Feng said calmly.
"You are the village head of Wulin Village? Finally decided to show yourself? You've caused such a huge problem, let's see how you'll explain yourself to Mingshan Town."
Xiao Minghui, the leader of the joint inspection team, said coldly.
Originally, the small amount of money given by the few farm owners wouldn't have made him make such a fuss to seal the crayfish project in Wulin Village. The main reason was this Chen Feng fellow, who had no foresight. For such a large project, he didn't proactively offer any benefits to Xiao Minghui. Xiao Minghui was a big shot in the Jiangcheng Administration for Industry and Commerce. For a multi-million project, he received no kickbacks, which was practically showing him no respect. In that case, he had to let him know the principle of power: the local magistrate is not as powerful as the current official.
"Mr. Xiao, the crayfish project is doing very well, and there's nothing to explain."
Chen Feng said with a calm smile.
"Chen Feng, are you blind? Don't you see seals everywhere?"
Xiao Minghui stared at Chen Feng furiously.
"There are seals, so what? You put them up, and you can take them down."
Chen Feng replied word for word.
"Chen Feng, are you bluffing? You say the seals put up by the joint inspection team can be taken down just like that?"
Xiao Minghui questioned coldly.
"I am merely a village head, and I certainly don't have the authority to ask you great figures to remove the seals. However, there is someone who can make you great figures remove the seals."
As he spoke, Chen Feng showed Zhou Lao's inscription to Xiao Minghui.
Xiao Minghui was an important figure in the Jiangcheng political arena, so he naturally recognized Zhou Kewang from the Provincial Development and Reform Commission.
"How do you have Mr. Zhou's inscription?"
Xiao Minghui's demeanor instantly softened.
"Zhou Kewang thinks highly of the Wulin Village crayfish project. He wrote an inscription for it out of sudden inspiration, isn't that normal?"
Chen Feng replied calmly.
"So what? The Wulin Village crayfish project has multiple violations, and it's normal to put up seals. Even if Mr. Zhou came to inquire, the seals would still have to be put up!"
Xiao Minghui said stubbornly.
With so many people present, he absolutely couldn't be intimidated by a village head.
"Mr. Xiao, if that's what you think, then I have nothing more to say. You can return to Jiangcheng."
Chen Feng said with a calm expression.
"Is that all?"
Xiao Minghui was stunned.
He had expected Chen Feng to be desperate, but who knew he would be so nonchalant.
"You're not even considering Mr. Zhou's feelings, so what can I say? The Wulin Village crayfish project is so large, and it's suddenly sealed. As a mere village head, I definitely can't resolve this. I can only truthfully report this to Mr. Zhou."
Chen Feng replied unhurriedly.
"Are you trying to scare me?"
Xiao Minghui questioned coldly.
"You are the head of the Jiangcheng Administration for Industry and Commerce, and I am just a village head. How dare I scare you? I simply can't handle a good project turning into a mess, so I'll let Mr. Zhou handle this mess."
Chen Feng continued to speak calmly.
"I don't believe that you, a village head, can summon Mr. Zhou!"
Xiao Minghui asked tentatively.
"Mr. Xiao, you can be absolutely assured of this. To be honest, as a small village head, I really can't summon Mr. Zhou. However, Mr. Zhou has always cared about the Wulin Village crayfish project and asks me about it every few days. Tell me, if Mr. Zhou asks me tomorrow how the Wulin Village crayfish project is doing, how will I answer?"
Chen Feng replied calmly.
"Alright, stop talking. I don't care what you say to Mr. Zhou. In any case, the seals have been put up and will absolutely not be removed."
With that, Xiao Minghui uttered a harsh sentence and quickly left the Wulin Village crayfish project base.
"Xiao Li, drive quickly. I don't want to spend another second in this damn place. By the way, Xiao Wu, you stay behind."
In the car, Xiao Minghui said with a dark expression.
"Mr. Xiao, I stay behind?"
Secretary Xiao Wu didn't immediately understand what was happening.
Didn't Mr. Xiao make it very clear in front of everyone earlier? Putting up the seals was a done deal, and no one could stop it.
What was he staying behind for?
"Xiao Wu, your performance today was very poor. Do you need me to tell you about such matters? Hurry up and get down. If you can't figure it out, don't come to work tomorrow."
Xiao Minghui asked his secretary Xiao Wu coldly while signaling the driver to drive.