Chapter 1066: Chapter 17: I’m Not a Professional at This
The Navy approached Yang Jian not primarily because of the minor friction between him and Wang Yunxiao.
Nor was it because he paraded with a few naïve bodyguards.
These were not the issues, at least not the main issues the military was willing to address with him.
As a mere second-generation returning from overseas, he wasn’t worth special attention from the military.
The real reason was this guy initiated a stringent examination of agents like Mu Yuming, laid by the Four Seas Commerce Guild in previous years, right upon arriving in Tianmen.
First, it was to determine whether these agents could still be utilized by the Chamber, if they had developed any disloyalty, or had been bought off by others.
This matter was hard to elaborate on clearly.
As a white glove, taking the Chamber’s money to do business on its behalf was certainly beyond small ventures. The Chamber wouldn’t look at setups like street stalls selling egg pancakes and stinky tofu.
To engage, one must delve into real estate or other large trades like Mu Yuming to rapidly enhance social status.
The Four Seas Commerce Guild didn’t lack money, but a foundation.
When doing large businesses and building extensive networks, cooperation with local powers became inevitable.
But do you think local powers would just watch you making money and reaping benefits unchecked?
Interest bundling was bound to occur.
The simplest method for bundling interests was marriage alliances.
This was also why Li Mumu, although scarcely partaking in social activities, still had many suitors.
Whether she was beautiful or not was irrelevant; essential was that she was Mu Yuming’s daughter.
Hence, white gloves like this couldn’t withstand scrutiny.
Requiring company employees to remain well-groomed was fine, but asking the cleaning lady’s broom to be dust-free was excessive.
So while Wang Yunxiao browsed through files, he had one thought — is this person mad?
The Navy, likewise, had their white glove within the Chamber named Li Donglai.
This person had often cooperated with the Navy, primarily dealing in precision parts and specialty steel.
His issue wasn’t particularly large or small; simply put, he also sold certain advanced confidential technologies from the Federation’s arms factories.
This caused two subcontracted arms companies under the Chamber to incur continuous losses.
Within merely three days of Yang Jian’s arrival in Tianmen, the man unexpectedly died, with unclear causes.
The Navy wouldn’t accept the explanation of an “unexpected death” as they had the capacity to investigate the instigator behind it.
Yet, they didn’t expect Yang Jian to be so difficult, nor what methods he employed that led the Navy-dispatched special squad to wipe out the local Yang Family.
This incident rendered the military a disgrace.
Everything required a sense of proportion.
Drinking hot water was a good habit, yet hot water was a carcinogen inducing esophageal cancer.
Glancing at beautiful women more was no issue, but touching them was illegal and criminal.
Yang Qiming was cleaning house within the Navy, unchecked by anyone.
If Yang dared to walk into the Navy’s gunfire unruly, getting shot was deserved.
However, the local Yang Family dealt mainly in cultural relics and antiquities without any major violations… or daring violations. Exterminating them entirely was excessive.
Without a justifiable reason, it might spark a sense of insecurity among others.
Today you could wipe out a family randomly; would you slaughter mine tomorrow?
Yang Jian’s given explanation was “resolving a feud.”
Resolve my foot.
Sons selling ancestral properties were indifferent, as if it belonged to you, to begin with, to resolve.
No kidding, indeed.
The local Yang Family accepted this kinship for the sake of the alliance with the Cheng and Yang families.
Each and every one was mentally deranged!
This clearly wasn’t plausible.
Wang Yunxiao had interacted with Yang Family members and remembered a common flaw in the Yang Family, that was stubborn personalities and aggressive manners but definitely no issues with their sharp wits.
Intelligent individuals making incomprehensible mistakes suggested undisclosed reasons lurking behind.
But fair to say, this wasn’t his line of work.
Nor was it the Navy’s.
Specific expertise was needed; the Navy’s special squads were focused on near-sea and deep-sea operations.
Squad number 104’s leader, Liu Zhimao, from his name alone, Wang Yunxiao could surmise familial ties with his Teacher Liu.
He’d only seen the man once during a Special Service Bureau conference; typically, the man stayed off-shore.
This time though, he bit the dust hard.
“What exactly do you want me to investigate or to what extent should I delve?”
Setting down the intelligence files, Wang Yunxiao asked sincerely.
He needed first to ascertain the Navy’s true intentions.
Were they simply intending to eliminate this individual, or was there another agenda?
“The Four Seas Commerce Guild may return, but the Yang Family must not; this is our Navy’s bottom line.”
Stated the officer sternly, “The reason you’re aware of, so let’s not reiterate. Although judging people’s virtue by lineage isn’t fair, we once suffered dearly, so we choose to assume the worst.”
“Regarding the Yang Family’s extermination, the Navy will naturally provide an explanation externally. We now seek to understand what Yang Jian’s true intentions are, his next move and how to dispose of him.”
“The human mind is hard to fathom, so guessing his intent is beyond us.”
Patting the document in his hands, Wang Yunxiao said, “As he’s here in the capacity of a high-level Chamber official, his actions must be Chamber-related. When all is said and done, I reckon it has everything to do with ‘interest.’ If we want to clarify, we need more detailed intelligence, specifically the Yang Family’s role within the Four Seas Commerce Guild.”
“If he stands alone, consider it from his personal interest perspective.”
“Should the Yang Family have a secured position within the Chamber, roots firmly planted, then we must consider whether he is pursuing his family’s interest.”
“Makes sense, we will review pertinent intelligence.”
With a nod, the officer added, “Moreover, why do you think he uprooted the local Yang Family? By logic, shouldn’t they constitute a mutual interest community?”
“There wasn’t a complete eradication. From what I know, the Yang Family has multiple branches in Tianmen.”
Wang Yunxiao commented seriously, “If anyone can understand the Yang Family, it’s the Yang Family themselves. To collect information, you must bring someone here for me.”
“Who?”
“The former Lamp Holding Rakshasa of the Red Lantern Society, now head of the Light Industry Committee, Yang Youxuan.”