Cai Chenggong rushed to the Anti-Corruption Bureau and found Hou Liangping. Hou Liangping directly took Cai Chenggong to a conference room.
Seeing two prosecutors and video recording equipment in the conference room, Cai Chenggong was stunned: "Monkey, what's going on?"
Hou Liangping asked back: "Aren't you here to report? I'm your childhood friend, I need to recuse myself. I'll have my colleagues receive you."
Cai Chenggong quickly retreated outside the conference room and whispered: "Monkey, I won't report for now. Can you help me speak to Li Dakang? If he can return my shares, I won't report."
Hou Liangping glared at him and said angrily: "Do you really think I'm a Monkey King? We're at the same level. Even if I'm willing to help you speak to him, do you think he'll give me any face?"
Cai Chenggong explained: "Monkey, I can't talk to Li Dakang, but you can. Help me speak to him. If he doesn't return my shares, I'll report his wife."
Hou Liangping was defeated by this childhood friend: "You clamoring about reporting isn't about upholding justice or anything. You just want to use this method to protect your own interests."
Cai Chenggong said with a cheeky grin: "Monkey, I'm not a chivalrous hero. What justice am I upholding? You're right, I just want to get back my 60% of the shares."
Hou Liangping said angrily: "Are you out of your mind? You want to drag me down to hell for your shares? To blackmail a vice-provincial official, have you thought about the consequences?"
Cai Chenggong said with a sheepish smile: "Monkey, I have no other choice. I went to see Chen Yanshi, the old stubborn, several times. I even went to Sun Liancheng, the district chief, but it was all useless!"
Hou Liangping's face showed a hint of anger: "Baozi, you're biting whoever you meet! You said you wanted to report Chen Yanshi on the phone. What do you want to report about Old Chen?"
Cai Chenggong quickly put his hands together and apologized: "I was in a hurry and spoke recklessly. Monkey, I'm really at the end of my rope now. I can only beg you for help."
Hou Liangping said in a deep voice: "It's useless to go to anyone. If you think you're right, then use legal means to get back what you deserve, such as filing a lawsuit. Otherwise, just report it!"
Hou Liangping remained cautious about his childhood friend, who had developed some bad habits in the business world, especially since this friend had the absurd idea of trying to blackmail Li Dakang.
Hou Liangping had the support of the provincial Party secretary, Sha Ruijin, and the background of his father-in-law, so he wasn't afraid of Li Dakang. However, not being afraid is very different from blackmailing someone.
It's like a law-abiding citizen can stand up to a police officer without fear, but if they try to use the officer's wife to blackmail the officer, they're asking for trouble.
Of course, Hou Liangping wouldn't blackmail Li Dakang for Cai Chenggong. If he did such a foolish thing, Li Dakang wouldn't even have to lift a finger. A simple report would ruin Hou Liangping's future.
However, Hou Liangping was very interested in the information Cai Chenggong had. There was no doubt that Cai Chenggong had evidence of Li Dakang's wife's illegal activities.
That's why Hou Liangping specifically mentioned reporting. Reporting wouldn't allow Cai Chenggong to get back his 60% of Dafeng Factory's shares, but it would allow Hou Liangping to investigate Li Dakang's wife.
Others might be intimidated by the mention of Li Dakang's wife, but Hou Liangping wasn't. If he could follow the trail of Li Dakang's wife and eventually expose Li Dakang, that would be a huge accomplishment!
Cai Chenggong hesitated, his face changing colors. He knew that once he reported, there would be no turning back. He might face Li Dakang's revenge, making it even more impossible to get his shares back later.
After a moment of hesitation, Cai Chenggong said: "Monkey, I'll try to find another way. If I really can't get my shares back, I'll come and report. We'll fight to the death!"
"Alright, go back and think about it." Hou Liangping was a little disappointed, but he still agreed. As long as he crushed the last hope in Cai Chenggong's heart, Cai Chenggong would naturally come to report.
Moreover, Hou Liangping had just arrived in Handong and hadn't yet sorted out the internal relationships in the Anti-Corruption Bureau. He needed some time before he could truly begin his work.
Hou Liangping didn't know that Li Dakang had already divorced Ouyang Jing, nor did he know that Li Dakang and Ouyang Jing had been separated for eight years. There was no way he could find Li Dakang through Ouyang Jing.
…
It was almost 6:00 pm when Wang Dalu arrived as promised. Li Dakang punched the guy in the chest and laughed: "You're such a drama queen. I thought you were going to cut off ties with me."
Li Dakang was somewhat influenced by the original owner's memories. Although this was his first time meeting Wang Dalu, he felt quite close to him. The feeling was inexplicable but understandable.
Wang Dalu said with a sulky tone: "You're the only one who can set fires and not allow others to light a lamp. You can treat me like a thief, but you don't allow me to get angry. Secretary Dakang is really tyrannical!"
Li Dakang teased: "I've changed my mind. I'm letting this thief into my home."
Wang Dalu quickly explained: "Dakang, I really have no intention of taking a shortcut from you. I just want a fair competitive environment."
Li Dakang smiled: "A fair competitive environment? I can promise you that. Not just for you, not just here. Wherever I govern, I will strive to create a fair competitive environment."
Wang Dalu smiled: "That's great! Actually, legitimate businessmen like us prefer a fair competitive environment. We just need fair competition. We don't need to engage in those shady deals, those things with endless consequences."
Li Dakang readily agreed: "That's right. Fair competition is the prerequisite for survival of the fittest. Only through fair competition can truly competitive companies emerge and grow stronger!"
Wang Dalu echoed: "Yes, but now it's those companies that rely on connections and background who can grow strong. Ordinary companies struggle to even survive."
Li Dakang nodded: "This phenomenon exists objectively, but it will gradually improve. For example, I'm thinking of setting up a new energy vehicle industrial park. This field relies on fair competition."
Wang Dalu was surprised: "You're going to set up a new energy vehicle industrial park? That's not a small investment. It involves automobiles, with investments easily reaching hundreds of billions or even trillions of yuan."
Li Dakang chuckled: "Dalu, you're thinking in a habitual way. If it's an investment in the entire industry chain, it'll definitely be trillions of yuan. But for a single company, there's no need to invest in the entire industry chain."
Wang Dalu questioned: "A single company doesn't need to invest in the entire industry chain, they can find suppliers for supporting services. But our country doesn't even have a large-scale new energy vehicle manufacturer. Handong certainly doesn't have one."
Li Dakang casually said: "Then let's create a large-scale new energy vehicle manufacturer. Compared to traditional fuel vehicles, new energy vehicles are much less difficult. Even I could do it."
The term "manufacturer" is a more professional term in the auto industry. Outside the auto industry, people generally call them car manufacturers, such as Volkswagen, General Motors, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi. These are all manufacturers.
Wang Dalu only had a superficial understanding of the automotive industry, but he wasn't an expert. He was surprised and said: "New energy vehicles are that simple? Even you could do it?"
Li Dakang explained: "New energy vehicles are essentially just three parts: battery, motor, and electronic control. The battery can be bought, the motor can be bought, and the electronic control can be bought. What else is there that can't be bought?"
Wang Dalu couldn't help but widen his eyes: "Dakang, if you rely on buying everything, without any core technology of your own, no accumulation, how reliable are the cars you make?"
Li Dakang asked back: "Where can new manufacturers go to develop core technology, where can they go to accumulate experience? Even old-established fuel vehicle companies are still considered newbies when they enter the new energy vehicle field."
Wang Dalu nodded and said thoughtfully: "What you said makes sense. However, the public's acceptance of new energy vehicles is still not high. Sales seem to be lacking."
Li Dakang said: "The public doesn't like to buy new energy vehicles mainly due to two reasons: one, there are few charging stations now, and charging is inconvenient. Two, there is range anxiety. These two problems can be solved with extended-range technology."
"Dakang, what is extended-range technology?" Wang Dalu asked curiously. Extended-range technology was a knowledge gap for him. Although there were extended-range vehicles at the time, they were very rare and not yet known to the general public.
Li Dakang gave a simple explanation: "Extended-range, as the name suggests, means to extend the range. It's simply adding a generator and a fuel tank to an electric car, allowing it to have the advantages of both electric and fuel vehicles."
Wang Dalu's eyes lit up. He said with interest: "That's interesting. It not only solves the consumer's range anxiety, but also has the advantage of fast acceleration like a pure electric car. It should be promising."
"You have good vision!" Li Dakang gave Wang Dalu a thumbs-up, and then he tempted him: "Extended-range vehicles are the industry I plan to develop vigorously in Jingzhou. This time I'm giving you the opportunity to take a shortcut."
…