December eighteenth, Baoping Power Plant construction site.
The office of the building construction project department was swarmed by over a hundred migrant workers. The key personnel of the project department and the carpenter boss, Liu Yong, were trapped inside. If the police hadn't been called promptly to maintain order, the office would likely have been overturned.
These were all carpenters. After the concrete pouring was completed on the fifteenth of December, workers from other trades had received their wages and gone home. Only the carpentry team hadn't been paid a single cent.
For the past two days, everyone had assumed that the client's funding was still going through procedures and waited patiently. But seeing other trades receiving their money made them restless.
First, they approached Liu Yong. Liu Yong claimed the project department hadn't paid him. Then they went to Manager Chen, who stated that Liu Yong's engineering fees had already exceeded the budget. This ignited everyone's fury.
Working from dawn till dusk, putting in overtime, and toiling diligently for so long, only to be told there was no money in the end – no one could tolerate that. A few local carpenters first beat Liu Yong severely, then incited all the carpenters to surround the project department.
The thirty carpenters from Xinhe watched Liu Yong being beaten without a single one stepping forward to intervene. They were even more enraged because they had worked for Liu Yong for a whole year, transferring directly from the Hancheng construction site, and each was owed forty to fifty thousand yuan in wages.
If they couldn't get paid, how would they explain it to their families? A year's worth of hope would be dashed. Not only would the New Year be difficult, but there would be no money for their children's tuition and living expenses in the coming year.
"Manager Chen, look at all these workers blocking the place. Something serious might happen. Your project department must find a solution quickly. If there are any casualties, we will hold you responsible."
Officer Wu from the power plant's police station, who had come to mediate, sternly reprimanded Manager Chen. Migrant worker wages were a matter of great importance to leaders at all levels. The fact that such a large project as the power plant was experiencing wage arrears made him very displeased.
Manager Chen also had his own difficulties to express. "Officer Wu, our company is also funding the project. Since we haven't reached the funding disbursement stage, the power plant has only released funds for migrant worker wages. However, the carpentry team's expenses have exceeded the budget, and the client has directly withheld their wage funds. I can't do anything about it. Even the wages for our project department's management staff are still pending."
"Why did the carpentry team's expenses exceed the budget?"
"The material supplier directly withdrew the payment for materials he owed from the client."
Manager Chen was still trying his best to protect Liu Yong, not mentioning his gambling losses, otherwise, the workers would tear him apart.
Furthermore, the client's arbitrary withholding of funds was also against regulations. He dared not speak out his anger, and could only try to pressure the client through the migrant workers. He hoped that these workers would make a big fuss, and then the power plant's higher management and the labor department would naturally intervene.
Officer Wu immediately contacted the power plant's负责人, confirming Manager Chen's statement. However, as a minor police officer, he had no authority to compel the power plant's leadership to disburse funds. This was because the power plant was of a higher level; even a deputy general manager was of a section chief rank, and they wouldn't pay attention to him.
With no other option, Officer Wu could only try to reason with the migrant workers.
"Fellow villagers, please don't cause trouble. I have already investigated. It was the client who withheld your wages. I'm not entirely clear about the specific reasons, so I suggest you seek resolution from the labor department."
"It's not the client's problem. Liu Yong gambled away all the money. Arrest him."
"We're not going to the labor department. This is the project department's business. Let the project department pay."
"No money today, no one leaves."
"So heartless! We worked so hard for so long, and they just say there's no money. How are we supposed to go home for the New Year?"
The migrant workers erupted, saying all sorts of things.
Officer Wu felt great sympathy for these migrant workers, but he was powerless. He had to ask everyone to calm down again.
"Fellow villagers, I also want to help you get your wages. But my duty is to maintain stability, and I don't have the authority to solve your problems. I hope you will defend your rights legally and report the issues to the relevant departments through legitimate channels. Don't cause trouble, as you won't get your money and might even end up in jail."
"Officer, where should we report this? Which department should we find?"
Perhaps Officer Wu's last words had an effect. The migrant workers calmed down, realizing that causing a scene here would yield no results.
"Go to the Baoping Town Labor Law Enforcement Brigade. There are staff members there specifically to receive you, and they will help you handle it. But remember, you must not cause trouble there either. Report issues legally and compliantly, otherwise, you will bear the consequences."
"Alright, we'll go to Baoping Town. Let's all go."
The migrant workers dispersed, each looking for transportation to Baoping Town. It was three kilometers away, and walking would waste too much time. Everyone was eager to go home for the New Year.
Jing Yongli, who had been observing all along, immediately called Yang Jian.
"Jian Ge, where are you guys?"
"We've already gotten off the highway. We'll be in Baoping in half an hour. What's the situation now?"
Yang Jian had spoken with Liu Yong earlier and knew he had lost over two million yuan. Even if all the engineering fees were used to settle the debt, it wouldn't be enough. Therefore, he had to settle for the next best option: rushing over from home to retrieve Liu Yong.
The reason he said "retrieve" was that Liu Yong was under twenty-four-hour surveillance by the local loan shark company and couldn't leave.
With no other choice, under the pleas of his aunt and uncle, Yang Jian had to personally come to Baoping. He only brought Liu Chao and Biao Biao with him. Liang Liang was getting married on the twenty-sixth of December and didn't have time to come.
"All the migrant workers have gone to Baoping Town. Brother Yong is still in the office, but the loan shark company's people are watching him very closely; he can't get out at all."
"How many people are from the loan shark company?"
"Seven. They are all very burly. Two are taller than you and probably weigh over two hundred pounds."
"Being big doesn't matter. Do they have any weapons?"
Yang Jian himself was over five feet seven inches, nearly five feet nine inches, and due to long-term exercise, he had no excess fat, so he didn't appear fat but rather well-proportioned.
"No weapons. This morning when they beat Brother Yong, Manager Chen called the police. The patrol officers searched them and their vehicles and confirmed they had no weapons. Since they had IOUs from Brother Yong, the patrol officers didn't pursue the matter further. I estimate they are confident that Brother Yong wouldn't dare to resist, so they don't need to carry weapons."
"That's good. Listen to me. You find an opportunity to communicate with Brother Yong now. In half an hour, have him pretend to be unconscious. You call emergency services. When the ambulance arrives, you go with it. When the ambulance reaches a place called Laohugou, have it stop. We'll be waiting there."
"Okay, I know Laohugou. It's about a kilometer from Baoping. But the loan shark company people will definitely follow. They have seven people and three cars, so it might be difficult to deal with."
"You don't need to worry about that. Just do as I say. Remember, when you get on the ambulance, act a bit flustered, don't arouse their suspicion."
"Don't worry, I'm not good at fighting, but I'm good at deceiving people."
Jing Yongli was a bit anxious. He had wanted to leave for a long time. After all, he was in charge of Liu Yong's warehouse and was easily targeted by workers or even those thugs.