With Yu Feng's full support, Lu Feng began to deal with Hong Xing.
To track his movements, Liang Liang invited Tian Jun to a meal at the Pin Wei Shi Guang teahouse in the town center, with Lu Feng also present.
"Tian Jun, let me introduce you. This is Brother Feng, our company's manager."
Liang Liang introduced Lu Feng to Tian Jun first, as the subsequent conversation would primarily be between them.
"Brother Liang, what do you mean? I saved you yesterday, and today you're selling me out?"
Tian Jun's expression changed instantly, and he stood up to leave, clearly recognizing Lu Feng.
Lu Feng held him down. "Brother Tian, don't worry. I'm not here to cause trouble, but to thank you. If you hadn't tipped us off, our losses would have been much greater. Please accept this small token."
As he spoke, Lu Feng placed ten thousand yuan in front of Tian Jun.
Tian Jun looked at Liang Liang in surprise. "What does this mean?"
"Just accept it. This is a reward from our company, and no one else will know. We've been brothers for so many years, would we harm you?"
"Then thank you, Brother Liang, thank you, Brother Feng."
Ten thousand yuan was not a small sum back then; it was enough for half a year's wages in a factory. Tian Jun no longer stood on ceremony and accepted it.
"Brother, I invited you here today because I need your help with something else."
Seeing that he had accepted the money, Lu Feng knew this person was easily bought.
"Brother Feng, just say it. As long as I can do it, I will help you."
"I want to learn about Hong Xing. I heard you've been with him for several years, so you should know his situation well."
"This... alright, I'll tell you everything I know."
This question made Tian Jun hesitate for a moment, but then he relaxed. He had taken their money, and he had already betrayed Hong Xing once.
"Hong Xing is twenty-five years old and from Luogang Street. His father is the current town mayor of Luogang Town, and his family has good financial conditions.
Hong Xing started in the underworld at nineteen. He contracted infrastructure projects in the rural areas around Luogang, making him one of the biggest powers in Luogang Town.
However, in the past two years, his focus has shifted to Nanhai City, a coastal city in the south. Many people from Luogang have set up brick kiln factories there, and it also attracts many workers from Xinhe for transportation.
Due to the poor public security there, Hong Xing established the Xinhe Merchants Association. Nominally, it's to protect kiln owners and transport drivers from Xinhe, but in reality, it's to collect protection fees. Of course, it does help them resolve some troubles.
Hong Xing's biggest source of income there is operating casinos. Nanhai is economically developed, and those kiln owners are wealthy and are all members of the association. He uses this convenience to set up casinos within the association, coercing those owners and brick-hauling drivers to gamble, thereby obtaining huge profits.
Although Hong Xing has no reputation in Xinhe, he is doing very well in Nanhai and is very famous there.
The car he drives there is worth over a million yuan, but he keeps a low profile in his hometown because his father is the town mayor, and he fears it might create a bad impression."
Tian Jun briefly introduced Hong Xing's background.
Lu Feng had known about Hong Xing before, but not in detail. He hadn't expected him to be so powerful. Sister Feng and he had underestimated this opponent.
"So, Hong Xing is quite capable."
"He certainly has ability, but it mainly relies on his father's connections. Before his father became the mayor of Luogang Town, he was the deputy director of the Bureau of Commerce, mainly responsible for foreign economic liaison. His father introduced many kiln owners in Nanhai through official channels, so most of them are from Luogang, including a large number of transport drivers.
These owners and drivers are grateful to his father, so they also respect Hong Xing. Hong Xing, being naturally arrogant and overbearing, naturally thrives there with such support."
"With Hong Xing being so arrogant, isn't he afraid of affecting his father's career?"
"Probably not. His father has made great contributions to Xinhe. Under his coordination, there are hundreds of kiln factories opened by Xinhe in Nanhai and other coastal cities, employing tens of thousands of workers and drivers. They bring in tens of millions, even hundreds of millions of yuan annually, driving the economic development of the entire Xinhe region.
Especially in our Luogang, there are the most kiln owners and brick-hauling drivers. The number of new buildings constructed in the past two years is the highest among all townships.
In Luogang, the common people are grateful to the Hong family, so his father has a very good reputation in this area."
Liang Liang also nodded in agreement. "That's right. Many people from our village also go south to haul bricks and do transportation, and they're earning quite well. But I didn't know Hong Xing's father was the leader, nor did I know Hong Xing was so powerful in Nanhai."
Tian Jun chuckled. "That's because you're out of touch and always focus on this small place, the town center. If you ask anyone running transportation or working in Nanhai, they all know Hong Xing."
"That means Hong Xing deliberately maintains a low profile in his hometown. Since he's doing so well outside, why is he still involved in his family's affairs?"
Lu Feng was a bit confused.
"Who would say no to more money? In recent years, the state has increased investment in agriculture, and various infrastructure projects are being improved, such as road and canal construction. These are highly profitable projects, so he naturally wouldn't let them go. The rural roads in the entire Luogang are basically monopolized by him."
"Why didn't you go to Nanhai with him?"
"I went twice, but I'm not one of his core members. To put it bluntly, they remember me when they need me, and ignore me when they don't. Just like yesterday's operation, I only got a hundred yuan and a meal."
As Tian Jun said this, there was a hint of resentment in his voice, showing a trace of dissatisfaction with Hong Xing. It was no wonder he always wanted to get closer to Liang Liang, because although Liang Liang didn't give him money, he always included him in meals and drinks. It was precisely for this reason that he had tipped them off yesterday.
"Do you know where Hong Xing is now?"
"He drove to Nanhai last night. After all, Dong Sheng Group is not a small company, and he's afraid of retaliation."
"Did Old Gui have anything to do with what happened yesterday?"
"Of course. Hong Xing is related to Old Gui. Old Gui seems to be Hong Xing's maternal uncle, but not a direct one. They should be cousins through Hong Xing's mother. Hong Xing's core members in Nanhai are all from the Hu Gang, and he wouldn't have been able to build such a powerful force in Nanhai without Old Gui's support."
"Damn it, so Hong Xing is Old Gui's nephew. No wonder he's so arrogant."
Liang Liang suddenly felt that dealing with Hong Xing would be quite difficult. The opponent not only had astonishing economic strength but also official backing, making him a formidable force in both the underworld and the legitimate world.
With Lu Feng's intelligence and methods, it would be tough to bring down Hong Xing. He might even end up in trouble himself.
Should he get involved in this mess? Liang Liang became conflicted. Compared to Lu Feng's impulsiveness and recklessness, he trusted Yang Jian's composure and resourcefulness more.