Once, I wanted to be a good person-Chapter 837 - 209. Picked up a great bargain for nothing?

Chapter 837: 209. Picked up a great bargain for nothing?

Hearing Fang Ze’s words, Councilor Jia took out a document from his sleeve and handed it to Fang Ze with both hands respectfully.

Fang Ze put down his teacup, accepted the document, and then glanced at it.

Initially, he was somewhat casual about it, but after a cursory look, he couldn’t help but pause for a moment, and his expression became much more serious.

After a short while, having finished reading the entire dossier, he smiled at Councilor Jia and said indifferently, “This gift is indeed quite good.”

Hearing Fang Ze’s words, Councilor Jia was not surprised, but he slightly shook his head and then said, “Young Master misunderstands. This already approved document for the subsidiary city is not my gift.”

He said, “I don’t have the power to make the Council approve a noble’s territory in just two or three days.”

“Especially with such generous terms.”

Hearing Councilor Jia’s words, Fang Ze recalled the contents of the document he had just read.

The document was indeed very generous, or it could be said to be frighteningly so: it transferred the financial authority of a top city in Xida State with an annual fiscal revenue of sixteen billion, ranked among the top fifteen, directly to Fang Ze without any additional clauses.

Moreover, it agreed without any additional conditions to Fang Ze’s proposal to list Sanzhou City as a subsidiary city of the Si Family.

If this were compared to two countries at war, one could say that the Council was surrendering to Fang Ze unconditionally.

‘Did I just pick up an incredibly good deal? But something feels… off.’

Perhaps realizing that Fang Ze had also sensed something amiss, Councilor Jia pointed at the document and then said softly, “Young Master, the small gift I bring is actually to tell you… there is deceit within this document.”

“Deceit?” Fang Ze looked at Councilor Jia upon hearing his words and then inquired, “How so?”

Councilor Jia spoke slowly, “I think you should know. The city you’ve chosen has an excessively high fiscal revenue. Among the 102 noble families of the Federation, very few have subsidiary cities with such high income as Congyun City.”

“Even if they do, it’s the result of decades of investment without having yet recouped the costs.”

“Thus, it would be reasonable for the Provincial Government to impose certain restrictions on a choice like yours. But there are none, which is, conversely, unreasonable.”

At this point, he said softly, “So I made some inquiries and unexpectedly found out that this decision was personally approved by the Chairperson himself. That’s why there are no additional conditions.”

‘He Weidao…?’ Fang Ze repeated the name to himself, nodded slightly, and then asked, “If it was specially approved by He Weidao, doesn’t that make the whole matter reasonable?”

Hearing Fang Ze’s words, Councilor Jia shook his head and then said, “Young Master, it’s still not reasonable.”

“You haven’t formally participated in the Council’s operations and are unaware of how tedious and complicated these major transactions can be.”

“Furthermore, considering the vast interests involved, normally, various forces would look for opportunities to ask you for a slice of the pie or deliberately create obstacles.”

“So, even with the Chairperson’s approval, the normal process wouldn’t be this fast.”

“And yet… all the procedures were completed in just two days.”

He looked deeply at Fang Ze and then said, “So, Young Master, do you understand what this implies?”

After a moment of contemplation, Fang Ze spoke softly, “Someone is pushing this from behind?”

Councilor Jia nodded and then emphasized, “And it’s very likely not just one person. To make so many Executive Councilors and Council Members expedite such a significant matter so urgently…”

He looked at Fang Ze and then said softly, “The Chairperson, Bai Family, Jiang Family, Special Service Department, the Federation’s Defense Team, large and small families in Xida State, other influential forces and nobles with sway over Xida State, such as the Galan family from Tuoya State, the three families from the Directly Governed State, it’s very possible all of them exerted their influence…”

He frowned and said, “I don’t know if it’s a coincidence or a concerted effort.”

“But such a situation, I have never seen in decades.”

Hearing Councilor Jia’s words, Fang Ze’s expression also became grave, “Do you have any speculations?”

Councilor Jia leaned in and whispered, “Young Master. After I learned of this news, I analyzed all the data and reports on Congyun City and Sanzhou City overnight. There is a 95% certainty that there are no problems with Congyun City and Sanzhou City.”

“If the subsidiary city isn’t a trap, then… the problem may lie in your takeover of the subsidiary city.”

He analyzed, “Otherwise, they think you will fail in Congyun City and Sanzhou City, so they want to deliberately watch your embarrassment.”

“Or… they want to use the subsidiary city as bait, luring you away from the Provincial Government to achieve some goals they have in mind.”

After listening to Councilor Jia, Fang Ze closed his eyes and thought deeply for a while.

The information from Councilor Jia was extremely valuable. Fang Ze hadn’t been at the Provincial Government long and was unfamiliar with these intricacies. He hadn’t thought too much into it when he saw the document. Now, after hearing the seasoned analysis of Councilor Jia, he realized that there was indeed something too strange about this matter.

The thing was, even Councilor Jia, who was seasoned and cunning, did not know the purpose behind so many disparate and even discordant forces collectively facilitating this matter, let alone Fang Ze.