Chapter 380: Chapter 380

South of Peng Garden stands a three-story tall imitation ancient building, constructed even more majestically than Peng Garden, exuding an air of classical elegance.

This is Qingzhou’s largest tea market.

On the plaque under the third eave of the Drum Tower, two characters are inscribed: Tea Garden.

The Tea Garden is divided into three sections: the front is a tea trading market, the middle houses a tea culture exhibition hall, and deep within the Tea Garden lies the tea room.

The tea room is elegantly decorated, with sprawling bamboo groves visible through the windows and winding paths leading to tranquility.

Outside the bamboo curtains, musicians perform—sometimes on the erhu, sometimes on the guzheng—playing based on the guest’s preferences.

The gentle murmuring of water and the timeless melody of the instruments weave together a scene of serene nights and distant elegance.

Gao Jie slipped off his shoes, hurriedly walking along the corridor in wooden clogs. The lanterns hanging under the eaves swayed slightly in the moonlight, echoing the turmoil in Gao Jie’s anxious heart.

He strode quickly to a wooden door, guarded by two black-clad bodyguards stationed like unmoving gate gods. Googlᴇ search novelꞁire.net

Gao Jie bowed respectfully. "My deepest thanks, Mr. Ming. Without your help, I would’ve truly been in deep trouble this time."

Chen Shu, that little bastard, ran off to confess and gave him up, the worst part being that he had evidence in hand.

As a result, Gao Jie was summoned by the police for investigation just a day prior.

Mr. Ming, with his overwhelming influence, worked some kind of miracle, ensuring the questioning period wouldn’t exceed twenty-four hours. The police had no choice but to release him.

He had narrowly escaped calamity.

From beyond the bamboo curtain, a deep, magnetic male voice sounded gently.

"You haven’t checked the news yet, have you?"

After leaving the police station, he had hurried straight to meet Mr. Ming.

He quickly retrieved his phone, finding a local news alert in the notifications. Several official accounts he frequently followed had all sent out the same news.

Gao Jie’s face lit up with joy. "This has Qing Hong’s fingerprints all over it! Gao Dongting’s fall will inevitably drag Liu Qingfeng into the mess. Their schemes will crumble, leaving Liu Qingfeng, that old fox, to reap what he’s sown."

Gao Jie gritted his teeth with palpable hatred as he mentioned Liu Qingfeng’s name.

The feud between the two had simmered for years, though they had once maintained a fragile peace.

Ever since the incident at Yanshui Lane, however, the gloves had come off, leaving their animosity wholly exposed.

Gao Jie was certain it wasn’t a coincidence—Liu Runxi, a pampered son raised in luxury, had no reason to set foot in a place like Yanshui Lane.

It was undoubtedly Liu Qingfeng exploiting his son as bait to entrap him.

Using him as a stepping stone for his own rise to power.

He suspected Chen Shu had been bribed by Liu Qingfeng. Luckily, Mr. Ming had foreseen this, laying plans in advance and seizing the opportunity to undercut Liu Qingfeng when it mattered most.

Taking down one of Liu Qingfeng’s key allies—let’s see what tricks he has left now.

Gao Jie’s eyes flashed cunningly as he flattered, "Mr. Ming truly lives up to his reputation. Such a brilliant maneuver, striking east to conceal the west."

Yesterday, Gao Jie had been summoned while Gao Dongting faced ruin overnight.

How could two events coincide so perfectly? It was but a deliberate act.

"Regarding Chen Shu, I must trouble Mr. Ming to take care of it further."

A faint, dark shadow flashed across Gao Jie’s lowered gaze—Chen Shu had to go. Only Mr. Ming had the skill to make him disappear without a trace.

"Oh? You made the mess, and now you leave it to me to clean up? What a grand gesture."

Though the tone was mild, it sent a chill down Gao Jie’s spine, leaving him drenched in cold sweat as he hurriedly lowered his head in submission.

"It’s entirely my fault. My inability to manage my subordinates gave those scoundrels room to exploit. I beg Mr. Ming to punish me."

"Let this be the first and the last time."

Gao Jie carefully wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "Understood, I will remember it well."

"Do you know about Xie Beichun?"

Gao Jie was taken aback, unable to discern why Mr. Ming had brought up that name suddenly.

"Of course I know. He was once a prominent figure in Hua Country’s business world. What a pity...."

Gao Jie found Xie Beichun’s downfall rather puzzling, unable to piece it together. Fortunately, Chunzhou was far from Qingzhou, irrelevant to him, so he hadn’t paid much attention.

"Xie Beichun’s capital in Chunzhou impacted Tianlu Bank’s expansion. Two tigers can’t coexist on one mountain—understood?"

Cold sweat broke out all over Gao Jie once more. "Is Tianlu Bank truly this formidable? Even daring to target Xie Beichun...?"

No wonder Mr. Ming insisted on preventing Tianlu Bank from entering the Qingzhou market—he himself could become the next Xie Beichun.

As for Gao Jie, his fate might be even worse, likely doomed to being the first sacrificial pawn.

"There’s something I need you to handle next."

Gao Jie immediately straightened his posture, adopting an attentive stance.

Under the moonlight, the wind blew softly, the lanterns hanging under the eaves casting wavering shadows on the wooden door, like a dream drifting through the long night.

Footsteps grew distant. Amid the fleeting encounter, Gao Jie’s cautious voice flitted on the night breeze: "Assistant Wen...."