Not long after Xu Sheng and his workers left, the news of Yang Jian's arrest spread rapidly.
The biggest reaction came from Yang Jian's parents and grandmother. Fortunately, Lu Yao went to explain and comfort them in time, so they weren't too worried.
The workers at the template factory also experienced some fluctuations, but under Jiang Bin's appeasement, there were no major incidents, and production continued normally.
A portion of Yang Jian's dividends in July was invested in the template factory. The templates sold were not all on credit; Zheng Guangyao and Manager Fan were to pay half the amount, with the rest settled upon project funding or at the end of the year.
Li Jin's payments were entirely on credit, but he settled monthly, sending money at the end of each month.
Therefore, even without the casino funds, the template factory could barely operate, but only for about a month.
The Chunfeng Tower and the road construction were unaffected because Jiang Bin had paid the workers their wages before September 1st after receiving the money.
In Chengguan, Xinglong Tobacco and Liquor Merchant House.
San Pang was called into the tea room behind the store by Brother Mao.
"San Pang, I heard Yang Jian was arrested, is it true?"
Brother Mao received the news on September 2nd, but it was only hearsay, and he didn't know the specifics.
San Pang nodded, "It's true. I called Biao Biao yesterday and asked. Yang Jian was arrested on the evening of the 27th."
"What was the reason?"
"It seems to be a fight. Biao Biao didn't say clearly because he only found out a few days later."
"Is the case serious?"
Brother Mao was a little excited. He knew Yang Jian always struck hard. If he was arrested for fighting, the other party would at least have minor injuries, enough for a sentence, and money wouldn't help.
"I don't know. I heard he injured four people. I'm not clear about the severity of their injuries. This information came from his girlfriend."
"Alright, you keep in touch with Biao Biao and them during this time, follow the progress of Yang Jian's case, and inform me immediately if there are any developments."
"No problem. I call them every day these days. After all, Yang Jian is my childhood friend. How can I not care?"
"You're right, you should care more. Go back to Xinqiao today, visit his parents, buy some fruits and supplements to comfort them, and also find out the specific situation."
"Okay, I'll go back right away."
San Pang understood Brother Mao's intention. Only Yang Jian's immediate family knew the real situation, and he wanted to get accurate information about Yang Jian.
Watching San Pang ride away on his motorcycle, Brother Mao immediately dialed Hong Xing's number.
"Manager Hong, I have good news for you. Yang Jian has been arrested."
"Damn it, what's going on? I've already made arrangements here, hired assassins, and was just waiting for him to come so we could take care of him."
Hong Xing's surprised voice came from the other end of the phone.
"I'm still having San Pang find out the specifics. I only know he was arrested for fighting. Given his ruthlessness, the other party must be badly injured. I judge he'll be sentenced this time."
"That saves us trouble. I'll have Baoguo and Wu Laizi rush back, reopen the casino, and reclaim our lost business. Damn it, we suffered huge losses after Yang Jian sent people to smash our casino."
"Don't rush. I'll inquire further. Even if Yang Jian is sentenced, only Baoguo can return. Wu Laizi cannot return to Xinhe for now. His case is not yet resolved."
"Why is it so troublesome? Wu Laizi doesn't have much of a role here. He looks tall and strong, but he's actually timid. He's only suitable for intimidating people in the lake area and Chengguan within his small territory."
"Wu Laizi is a wanted person. We have to wait until Yang Jian's sister fully recovers. I'll find someone to coordinate compensation, write a letter of understanding, and then have Wu Laizi surrender. I'll then use my connections to get him a suspended sentence. This is the only way."
"Alright then, let Baoguo come back first to open the casino. I heard Wu Wangchun's casino is doing very well now. The bosses in Chengguan are all going there to play. We need to win back the market."
"Yes, Wu Wangchun's casino is currently the largest in Xinhe. In Chengguan, after Yang Jian smashed our casino, there were no large casinos, so customers have all gone to Wu Wangchun's. It's fine for Baoguo to come back. Even if Yang Jian gets out, he probably won't bother him."
"We're not afraid if he bothers us. This time, I'll have Baoguo equip the casino with more firearms. If Yang Jian dares to cause trouble again, we'll just kill the bastard."
"Okay, I'll fully assist Baoguo when he returns."
Brother Mao hung up the phone and fell into thought. He had sensed a crisis recently. Even his informant in the police had warned him that he might be targeted, so he had temporarily suspended his drug business.
However, his daughter's illness required a large amount of funds to maintain. Assisting Baoguo in opening the casino was the fastest and best source of income, and it wouldn't attract police attention without him personally getting involved.
In Hancheng, Xunsi River Casino.
Biao Biao was called aside into a corner of the lounge by Li Jin.
"Biao Biao, you know about Yang Jian's arrest, right?"
Li Jin stared at Biao Biao, his expression not very good. He had kept such important news from him, and he was quite bold.
"I only found out last night. It was Jian Ge's girlfriend who called to tell me. I was planning to tell you today and ask you to inquire about the progress of the case through your police connections."
Biao Biao had anticipated this scenario and had a counter-strategy ready.
"You really only found out last night? I heard Yang Jian was arrested on the evening of the 27th. Haven't you contacted him for so long?"
"Really not. Brother Jin, would I lie to you? If I had known Jian Ge was arrested earlier, how could I not tell you? We have no connections in Hancheng, so we would definitely rely on you to connect with the police."
"Okay, I'll believe you for now. What did his girlfriend say?"
"His girlfriend isn't very clear either. She only knows that Jian Ge had a conflict with someone while eating barbecue with his sister and injured them. She asked her friends in the Xinhe police for days but couldn't get any information about the case's progress, so she called me to see if you could help."
"Then why didn't you tell me immediately? It's been more than ten hours since last night."
Li Jin clearly didn't believe Biao Biao's story.
"Brother Jin, Lu Yao called with another purpose. After Jian Ge was arrested, his home was in an uproar. All the migrant workers from several projects rushed to his house demanding money. Lu Yao had no choice but to call me. So this morning, I've been transferring money to her and the factory at the bank. I really didn't have time to talk to you about this."
"How much did you transfer to her?"
"Two million, because Jian Ge owed 1.5 million in wages from last year, and he promised to pay it all off in the next few days."
"Is two million enough?"
"It should be enough for wages, but the template factory and Chunfeng Tower might not be able to maintain operations for long."
Li Jin thought for a moment before saying, "How about this, ask Lu Yao if the factory's working capital is sufficient. I can pay a portion of the template fees. Also, I'll ask my acquaintances in the police force to inquire about Yang Jian's situation, and we'll discuss how to respond later."
"Thank you, Brother Jin. I knew you would definitely help Jian Ge."
Li Jin smiled and got up to leave. No one knew what he was thinking.