Let them offer their loyalty!-Chapter 817 - 424: Playing Ai Li in the Palm of Applause (10,000 Characters for Monthly Ticket!)_2

As for the other witnesses...

8 high-ranking officials from the Investigation Bureau, except for Qiu Tu's confidants, are all from the "Academic Faction."

The top management from the "Academic Faction" are their own people, making it weak for Ai Li to prove herself. And Qiu Tu's confidants... aren't foolish, how could they possibly help Ai Li prove herself?

Thus, Qiu Tu is totally setting up Ai Li, the military, and City Hall!

Directly dug a hole and threw the three parties into it, sitting back to watch the tigers fight.

No matter who wins or loses, he remains calmly fishing, no loss.

'What a scheme! What a scheme!'

Thinking this, Ai Li looked at Qiu Tu with fiery eyes.

But Qiu Tu, as if feeling nothing, just gave her a stern glance, then commanded, "Deputy Director Ai Li, this mission, I'm entrusting completely to you to handle!"

"No matter how well or poorly you handle it, I will report it upwards."

"So, I hope you don't let down Chairman Huang and me, and the trust we have in you."

Ai Li: ...

Honestly, at that moment, Ai Li nearly burst out in rage.

How can Qiu Tu have the audacity to mention not letting him down!

Is it let her not let down the pit he dug?

And just then, suddenly... Qiu Tu's voice resounded in Ai Li's "mind."

"Little Ai Li..."

"Stop cursing me... Although I did strategize slightly against you, it's... also giving you an opportunity."

"If you handle this well, you'll definitely gain a lot of favor from Chairman Huang."

"Remember to thank me later."

"Oh right, in a little while once the meeting disperses, your 'Academic Faction' will surely convene a small meeting."

"You can strike preemptively, straightforwardly admit you were deceived by me. With your status, age, and seniority, they wouldn't suspect your betrayal."

"Right... this mission, I am giving to you."

"Don't forget, you now belong to me."

Saying this, Qiu Tu paused, then added, "Given your gambling nature, you wouldn't go back on your word, right?"

Listening to the voice coming from inside her, Ai Li's expression changed.

'What is this? Hallucinations?'

Thinking this, Ai Li couldn't help but look up at Qiu Tu.

Then, she just saw Qiu Tu imperceptibly wink at her. freēnovelkiss.com

Ai Li: !

'Is this real?'

Thinking this, before Ai Li could react, Qiu Tu closed his documents and said, "That's settled then, meeting adjourned. Everyone, go back to your usual tasks."

Having said that, he stood up and left the office.

Following Qiu Tu's departure, his several confidants, Guan Xiao, Chen Feng, and Guan Weihua, also hurriedly followed.

Thus, in just a moment, the meeting room was left with only four people from the "Academic Faction".

Perhaps due to Ai Li's sudden defection today at the meeting, the office was somewhat quiet for a while...

After a moment, Ai Li seemed to remember the words Qiu Tu spoke into her mind before leaving.

So she took the lead and said, "Sorry, everyone. I was deceived."

Qiu Tu really didn't guess wrong.

Ai Li's status is really "high."

The founder of the "Academic Faction," her status naturally carries the weight of 'founding stocks', as long as there's any reason, no one dares to doubt her defection.

Thus, hearing Ai Li's words, the other three instantly felt relieved.

Ji Qinglin said, "Deputy Director Ai Li, you really scared me. When you echoed Qiu Tu earlier, I thought you were bewitched."

Having said that, he asked, "What exactly is going on?"

Ai Li had already prepared her explanation, even without Qiu Tu, she could still fabricate it—just needing slight adjustments from the reality.

Thus, she simply explained the situation. Essentially, she met Qiu Tu as soon as she got off the car today.

Qiu Tu shared this plan with her and made it clear that this plan was beneficial for Chairman Huang, intended to preemptively handle matters before reaching Chairman Huang.

Later, Qiu Tu hoped she would support his plan.

Ai Li, without much thought, agreed.

And during the meeting just now, since no one spoke after Qiu Tu finished, she took the initiative to echo his words.

But who knew she would end up being schemed by Qiu Tu.

This explanation was logically consistent and coherent, so Shi Youxin and the other three all looked enlightened.

Then, Shi Youxin took Ai Li's list in his hand, glanced over it briefly, then suddenly "tsked."

He said, "Right when the meeting started, Qiu Tu redistributed the power, returning all the departmental powers, I thought he had realized he couldn't be a dictator."

"But who knew... he had his own plans."

Shi Youxin continued, "Look... the three departments whose power was returned, Political Department is his confidant Guan Xiao's."

"Public Security Bureau is his new confidant Guan Weihua's."

"The last remaining two: command authority over the Special Service Department and Action Sequence."

"That's you, Director Ai Li, and Minister Lü Cheng."

"This is clearly setting the stage for this operation."

"You only have real power afterwards, to carry out the plan, and to take responsibility when the plan fails."

"After all, if you were sidelined like Tang Feifei, neither execution of the mission nor taking responsibility would be traced back to you."

Hearing Shi Youxin's analysis, Lü Cheng's expression didn't change; he just sighed slightly, clearly... he had also realized this point.

Unlike him, Ai Li and Ji Qinglin were taken aback, belatedly realizing Qiu Tu had made so many calculations.

Even from the beginning of the meeting, he had been scheming.

"Damn it!" Ai Li clenched her fist and heavily slammed it onto the table, then asked, "So what do we do now?"

Hearing Ai Li's words, Shi Youxin wryly smiled, saying, "There's no other way. The Investigation Bureau is a disciplinary organ, the mission is handed to us, if we do poorly we are punished, even if we don't act we are punished."