Chapter 311: He Zhuliang is Arrested
Chapter 311: He Zhuliang is Arrested
He Zhuliang was in the middle of a meeting when officers from the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) suddenly barged in.
The man at the forefront pulled out an arrest warrant and placed it in front of He Zhuliang, saying expressionlessly, "Mr. He, please come with us."
He Zhuliang's heart sank. The fact that the ICAC had shown up at his door without him hearing any rumors beforehand made him very uneasy. However, having weathered many storms in his life, he quickly calmed down and complied, following them out.
What he didn't expect was that as soon as he stepped out of the company's doors, several reporters swarmed him. One of them pointed a microphone at him and asked, "Mr. He, we've heard that ICAC Sir's car accident years ago wasn't an accident at all, but rather a setup orchestrated by you. Is that true?"
He Zhuliang's expression darkened as he replied, "That's a baseless accusation. I don't know the person you're referring to, and I believe the police will clear my name soon enough."
His words sounded confident, but the fact that a nine-year-old incident was being brought up again was a bad sign. He wondered who was targeting him and vowed to make them pay once he found out.
The reporters then turned their microphones towards the ICAC officer in charge, but he simply replied, "No comments. ICAC investigations are confidential."
Nie Zhan, always well-informed, received news about He Zhuliang's arrest just half an hour later. "He Zhuliang was taken in by the ICAC? What's the charge?" he asked.
Wang Shi shook his head, indicating that he didn't know. If he had been that well-informed, he wouldn't have been just an assistant.
Nie Zhan pondered for a moment before calling one of his friends who worked at the police station and inviting him to dinner. Although his friend was just an inspector, his uncle was a high-ranking official in the police force, which meant he was usually well-informed.
The friend was puzzled as to why he had been invited to dinner so suddenly, but he knew that someone of Nie Zhan's status wouldn't invite him without a good reason. After accepting the invitation, he immediately called his uncle to ask if there were any recent developments or special cases he should know about.
It was through his uncle that he learned about He Zhuliang's arrest. Since there was no legal or blood relation between Lu Jiaxin and He Zhuliang, Nie Zhan didn't have to hide anything from his friend.
At noon, Feng Qinglei came to the company to find Nie Zhan. "He Zhuliang was taken away by the ICAC. Do you know anything about this?" he asked.
Nie Zhan looked at him lounging on the sofa with his feet propped up on the coffee table and scowled. "If you came here just to tell me this, you can leave now."
Feng Qinglei quickly retracted his feet and lowered his voice. "Nie Zhan, tell me honestly, did you have something to do with this?"
Nie Zhan shook his head. "No. I wanted to deal with He Zhuliang myself, but before I could make a move, someone else beat me to it. I don't know who it is."
Feng Qinglei had heard the rumors about Lu Jiaxin outside, and since Nie Zhan's move into the Nie family's old house was related to this matter, he suspected that He Zhuliang's arrest had something to do with him as well.
"Are you sure it wasn't you?"
Nie Zhan sighed in exasperation. "It wasn't me. I just made plans to have dinner with Lu Songyuan to find out more details, and you're welcome to join if you're interested."
Feng Qinglei had known him for over a decade, and he could tell from his expression that Nie Zhan was telling the truth. "Azhan, do you think this has something to do with Jiaxin?" he asked.
There it was again—the nickname 'Little Chili Pepper' for Lu Jiaxin. Although Nie Zhan hadn't used that nickname since they were children, others still referred to her that way.
Nie Zhan was in no mood to quibble over such a minor issue. "Why would you think this has something to do with Jiaxin?" he asked, genuinely curious.
Feng Qinglei fell silent for a moment before speaking. "Brother, half of Ms. Gu's property originally belonged to Jiaxin. The He family not only took her inheritance but also spread rumors to ruin her reputation. If it weren't for that, your aunt wouldn't have arranged a blind date for you. If I were in Jiaxin's shoes, I wouldn't be able to swallow that injustice."
Nie Zhan asked, "Do you think Jiaxin has that kind of power?"
Feng Qinglei felt that they were underestimating Lu Jiaxin. "In just two years, she went from having nothing to being a billionaire. It's not surprising if she knows a few powerful people."
Nie Zhan's expression turned suspicious as he asked, "Feng Qinglei, what are you trying to say?"
Seeing his reaction, Feng Qinglei smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'm not trying to poach your girl. I'm just saying that if Little Chili Pepper is indeed behind this, I'll follow her from now on."
Nie Zhan thought he was talking nonsense. "Jiaxin has only been in Hong Kong for a little over a year. She focused on studying before the Advanced-Level Examination and then traveled afterward. Apart from frequent contact with Su Heyuan, she hasn't had much interaction with people in society. Where would she find these powerful connections you speak of?"
Feng Qinglei thought to himself, 'You don't seem to be a social person either.' "Are you so sure? Have you placed someone by her side?"
Nie Zhan didn't want to continue this conversation. "If she really knew such powerful people, do you think the He family would dare to bully her like this?"
Given the He family's opportunistic nature, knowing that Jiaxin was connected to influential people would only make them try to win her over and use her to get close to that influential figure, thereby elevating their company to new heights.
Feng Qinglei became uncertain again after hearing Nie Zhan's analysis.
That evening, during dinner with Lu Songyuan, Nie Zhan obtained some definite information. "The police have found evidence of his murder of Sir Gao, and this evidence was provided by Gao's sister."
Seeing the two men looking at him, Gao Songyuan explained, "Sir Gao's parents passed away early, and his sister was adopted and raised by the family. They even supported her education. Sir Gao's death in a car accident was ruled an accident by the police, but she didn't believe it and conducted her own secret investigation. Unexpectedly, she found the evidence."
Even if he didn't tell them now, Nie Zhan would have found out in a couple of days. Since his girlfriend held a grudge against the He family, knowing about Lawyer Gao's situation wouldn't make her help He Zhuliang.
Feng Qinglei no longer doubted Lu Jiaxin. She had been investigating for over eight years, while Lu Jiaxin had only been in Hong Kong for a little over a year, and they had no intersection with this Lawyer Gao.
Nie Zhan asked, "Now that there's conclusive evidence, can he be sentenced?"
In Hong Kong, there were some very capable barristers who specialized in serving the wealthy. Sometimes, even with the knowledge that the accused was guilty, the lack of concrete evidence allowed them to escape punishment. So, even with Lawyer Gao's provided evidence, success wasn't guaranteed, as evidence could be refuted.
Lu Songyuan answered vaguely, "He Zhuliang's case is quite complex and involves many people, so it won't be concluded quickly."
He couldn't say more without violating professional ethics.
Nie Zhan didn't press further, understanding that the vague response meant the specifics weren't suitable to share with them. He changed the subject to stocks and real estate.
After finishing dinner, it was already past ten o'clock. As they got into the car, Feng Qinglei said, "I never expected that the evidence would come from Gao Wen."
Nie Zhan was surprised. "You know this Lawyer Gao?"
Feng Qinglei said with some regret, "Gao Wen is a famous beauty in legal circles, and her professional abilities are also top-notch. Cases that reach her rarely lose. I once asked her out for dinner but was rejected. By the way, you've seen her too. When we were having dinner, Lawyer Gao walked by, and I even greeted her!"
Nie Zhan had no recollection of this.
Feng Qinglei asked in disbelief, "Such a stunning beauty walked by us, and you don't remember?"
"I have face blindness," Nie Zhan replied nonchalantly. Of course, he didn't actually have face blindness; he just didn't bother to remember the faces of people he didn't know.
Feng Qinglei conceded.
(End of Chapter)
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