In the Name of the People: Two Provincial Champions Team Up to Take Down the Meng Family Army

The old man laughed heartily, gazing fondly at his grandson. “Zhang Cheng, listen to what I have to say first.” “Lately, the Zhong family has gotten too big for its boots. They’ve started treating us old comrades with contempt.” “A bunch of son-in-law soldiers, living off their fathers-in-law, and they still want to flip the table?” (Son-in-law soldiers refers to men who advanced their careers through their fathers-in-law, such as Hou Liangping and Sha Ruijin.) The old man’s gaze sharpened. Zhang Cheng immediately understood. The old man cared about his reputation, and the Zhong and Lü families had fallen out over something. “Is this about my dad’s deputy position?” “At the meeting to discuss your father’s appointment, that kid from the Zhong family didn’t raise his hand.” Not raising his hand meant opposing it. The old man snorted. “I don’t know who raised their hands, but I sure as hell know who didn’t.” “Then what about my dad’s...” “Your Grandpa Hu went to the capital. Your father’s matter is settled.” So that was it. The old man really did hold a grudge. It couldn’t be helped. This was how political maneuvering worked. The old man was ruthless, a man who had come up through the military and never let himself be pushed around. Protecting his own was his life motto. It seemed Handong was a battlefield where the Zhong family would meet its end.