"Someone put white powder in the department store and was reported. The police came yesterday, found the white powder, and took the boss away," Manager Gu simply explained the situation.
Uncle Yi pressed, "Are there any suspects?"
"It must have been someone who snuck it in when they helped us move goods the day before yesterday. But we checked everyone we moved yesterday and didn't find anyone suspicious. We don't know who to suspect now."
"Movers? Give me their information, and I'll check," Uncle Yi was very confident in his ability to investigate these people, as that was his line of work.
"They're all here," Manager Gu handed the registered information to Uncle Yi.
"Prepare the information for all the employees at the department store. If these people are cleared, then the problem must lie with your employees," Uncle Yi said, and then he took his men to investigate.
Xiao Zhou and Manager Gu exchanged glances, both stunned. They really hadn't considered the possibility that a subordinate employee might have made a mistake.
No wonder the boss asked Uncle Yi to help him. They truly couldn't compare to him, not only in brains but also in capability.
"Let's split up and check the employees. I'll take the second and third floors, and you stay on the first floor," Manager Gu suggested. Xiao Zhou agreed.
Thus, the two of them went downstairs together to start checking employees for any suspicious individuals.
As they were investigating, a group of young thugs appeared from who knows where at the main entrance of the first floor. They rushed in with clubs and started smashing things, shouting slogans about eliminating evil for the people.
Seeing this, Xiao Zhou immediately stepped forward to stop them, "Stop! What are you doing?"
However, the group ignored him and continued their destruction. "CRASH! BANG!"
Everywhere they went, it quickly turned into a scene of ruin. Seeing this, Xiao Zhou immediately ordered someone to call the police and for the security team to respond.
When the group was apprehended by the police, they were still shouting, "We are eliminating evil for the people. Scrupulous individual business owners like them shouldn't be allowed to operate in the provincial capital."
"It hasn't even been confirmed whether they are unscrupulous or not, and you've already come here to smash things. This is against the law. Take all of them away," the police officer knew that Zhang Liunian hadn't been convicted yet, and these people were rushing out, as if afraid they wouldn't know it was deliberate.
"We are just eliminating evil for the people. We are righteous individuals."
"..."
Ultimately, these people ended up in the police station, serving two months in jail, which at least gave them a pause.
The news quickly reached Zhu Laosi, who burst into laughter, "Third Brother is truly formidable, to have managed to tarnish Zhang Liunian's reputation like this and even get him jailed."
"Boss, what about those eight dogs?" the subordinate below nervously asked.
Zhu Laosi replied dismissively, "It was just smashing things. At most, they'll go in for two months. As long as no one dies, they'll be released after two months, and we'll give them more money."
"Yes," the subordinate below hesitated for a moment before complying.
"It seems Third Brother's final move is enough to deal with Zhang Liunian without even needing to act. I thought he was supposed to be so capable, but one move and he can't get out. This is truly disappointing," Zhu Laosi thought about Third Brother's planned final move and felt it would be completely unnecessary.
However, he had rejoiced too soon. Uncle Yi, within just one day, found the person who planted the white powder among the hundred movers.
"This person went to a casino yesterday and lost a hundred yuan. And the day before yesterday, he ate at a provincial restaurant for twenty yuan. Compared to his usual stinginess, he's been quite generous. Tie him up and force him to tell us why," Uncle Yi immediately ordered his men to act upon receiving this information.
In less than two hours, they learned that this person had smuggled contraband while helping the department store move goods and had received three hundred yuan from it.
"The store and the location match. It's this person named Li Xiaobao. Hand him over to the police," Uncle Yi, after receiving the confessions from his subordinates and matching them to the store and location where the white powder incident occurred, further confirmed that this was the person who planted the white powder and then escorted him to the police station.
"You're saying this person admitted to putting the white powder into the department store the day before yesterday?" the police officer looked at Uncle Yi and his men, surprised that they had found such crucial evidence, while also harboring doubts about the truth of the matter.
"You can ask him about the specifics. He only said that someone found him to put something in, and he didn't know what it was, but the location matches. Also, he received a windfall three days ago. You can investigate from there," Uncle Yi did not conduct further investigations; he only needed to gather what Li Xiaobao knew, and the rest was up to the police.
The police officer asked no further questions and took them to interrogate. Li Xiaobao, not feeling he had done anything wrong, naturally spoke what he knew. It was eventually confirmed that the white powder was indeed not sold by Zhang Liunian himself, but that Li Xiaobao had been instructed by someone to place it in the department store.
As for who instructed Li Xiaobao, he couldn't say. He only mentioned that a stranger had given it to him and hadn't revealed his identity or name, thus breaking the lead.
However, Zhang Liunian's innocence was sufficiently proven.
"The boss is out," Uncle Yi spotted Zhang Liunian emerging from the police station and immediately went to greet him.
"Thank you so much this time, Uncle Yi. If you hadn't stepped in, I would have had to stay a few more days," Zhang Liunian lightly punched Uncle Yi's shoulder with his fist.
Uncle Yi chuckled, saying it was his duty. Zhang Liunian chatted with him for a few more moments, and then they walked back to the department store together.
Upon arriving outside the department store entrance, Zhang Liunian found the department store still eerily quiet. The employees inside were all tidying up goods. Wait, why were they still tidying up goods? There was no business, so there was no need to tidy. Something was wrong.
Zhang Liunian kept a watchful eye, and he noticed the security personnel gathered together. Without alerting them, he continued to stand outside, observing the once bustling department store now so desolate. A myriad of emotions welled up in his heart, and he also thought of a solution.
"Boss, you're back?" Manager Gu, who had just come out with Xiao Zhou, saw Zhang Liunian standing at the department store entrance and was overjoyed.
Uncle Yi finding the person who planted the white powder had not been promptly communicated to them, so they were unaware Zhang Liunian had been released.
"How is the department store?" Zhang Liunian smiled and inquired about the department store's situation.
"Boss, after you left, the department store suffered another heavy blow. Someone came to smash and loot yesterday, and our department store lost hundreds of thousands again."
Manager Gu, seeing Zhang Liunian's concern for the department store, recounted what had happened the previous day.
Zhang Liunian was astonished, "Whose men were they?"
"We don't know. They came under the banner of eliminating evil for the people and didn't say they were acting on someone's orders," Manager Gu shook his head.
Zhang Liunian didn't believe this. Only a few people would make a move against him, with Zhu Laosi being the primary suspect. However, none of that was important now; it was better to deal with the department store first. "Never mind them. Given the current state of the department store, we should handle its matters first. Later, you post two notices outside stating that the culprit who planted the white powder has been found, proving the department store's innocence. Then, find more people to shout on the streets, announcing that the department store's boss has been cleared of all charges and will be giving out free pickles tomorrow at nine AM to celebrate. This offer is only valid for one day, first come, first served, while supplies last. However, each household will receive one bottle, starting at nine AM tomorrow."