Power and Wealth

It's 9 o'clock.

The night had fallen outside.

The hotel banquet hall was brightly lit, with people eating and drinking. Most of the attention was focused on Dong Xuebing's group.

"County Mayor Dong, come."

"Director Chen, are you trying to kill me?"

"Just a glass of wine. Don't be so disrespectful to me."

"It's not about disrespecting you; I just drank with Director Lu. I can't handle it anymore."

"Drinking is about alcohol tolerance. To drink or not is a matter of drinking etiquette."

"I don't usually drink and can't handle it. Let's just have a sip, just for the sake of it."

Chen Mingming, the director of the Meiyang District Investment Promotion Bureau, was urging Dong Xuebing to drink while Dong Xuebing continued to make excuses.

A City Investment Promotion Bureau staff member joined in, saying, "County Mayor Dong, Director Chen rarely toasts to people."

Dong Xuebing smiled, "I'm not in the mood today. Another day, perhaps."

Chen Mingming unhappily turned his empty glass upside down, saying, "I've already finished mine."

Seeing this, Chen Yunsong grabbed Dong Xuebing's wine glass and said, "Mayor Dong isn't feeling well today. Let me have this one for him." Subordinates should assist leaders in trouble. Chen Yunsong drank a glass on behalf of Dong Xuebing, but it was evident that his limit had been reached. Having just drunk 150 ml earlier, he now downed another 300 ml, and without eating anything in between, his face immediately turned red, and his eyes started to water. It seemed like he might even vomit if he took another sip.

Gong Na hurriedly supported Chen Yunsong to sit down.

Dong Xuebing nodded slightly at Chen Yunsong.

Chen Mingming glanced at them, smiled, and started eating.

The others also withdrew their gazes. They focused on their food.

However, after a short while, Yang Li, the director of the Xiang County Investment Promotion Bureau, stood up again. She walked over to Dong Xuebing's table with a smile, holding a full glass of wine. "Mayor Dong, let me toast to you."

Dong Xuebing smiled, "Director Yang, Director Lu is still here. I can't take over as the host. Why are you toasting me again?"

Yang Li chuckled, "Director Chen said that Zhen Shui County is the protagonist today. You've invited many powerful foreign investors, giving our Meihe City so much face. If the investments can be realized, they will make an irreplaceable contribution to our city's economic development. So, I must toast you first. You just had a drink with Director Chen, and now you must drink this one too."

At this point, many people had already figured out what was going on.

Zhang Juan and Chen Yunsong, Gong Na, and others felt a sinking feeling, understanding the intentions of these people.ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novelenglish.net . Firᴇ(.)nᴇt

This was an attempt to get Dong Xuebing drunk. If he was incapacitated, whether the foreign businessmen could smoothly visit Zhen Shui County tomorrow would become a big unknown.

This was too sinister.

Why were they always teaming up to bully Zhen Shui County?

Chen Yunsong, Gong Na, and others felt a bit annoyed. When Zhen Shui County's investment promotion results were not good, these people teamed up to mock and ostracize them, even snatching away their investors. Now that Zhen Shui County had achieved results and was about to turn the situation around, they were still teaming up to deal with them. Lu Weiguo's attitude and the others from the city's were the same. Zhen Shui County was neither good nor bad in their eyes. They simply couldn't stand seeing Zhen Shui County doing well. They wanted to disrupt everything we achieved.

Disgusting.

This was the feeling of several of them.

In the eyes of Chen Yunsong, Gong Na, and others, this was a win-win situation. After inspecting Zhen Shui County first, when the foreign investors invested and were satisfied, they would naturally move on to other counties and districts for inspection. By then, everyone could earn profits based on their abilities. But now, the city does not want the investors Zhen Shui County brought in to invest in Zhen Shui County. They wanted to give away all the foreign investors they worked hard to attract to Lu Weiguo and others. They only wanted to mess things up. Once they take the investors away, ensure they are satisfied with the projects, and only then allow them to move on. They meant that Dong Xuebing and Zhen Shui County would benefit nothing.

It was frustrating.

The people from Zhen Shui County were thoroughly disheartened.

Chang Juan stood up abruptly, looking coldly at Yang Li. "If you want to drink, I'll accompany you."

Gong Na hurriedly said, "Let me do it, Director Chang."

Chen Yunsong pulled Gong Na back, saying, "I'll do it."

Chang Juan remarked, "You just had 300ml. You can't drink anymore."

"I'm fine," Chen Yunsong said, getting up unsteadily. Taking a breath, he added, "I'll do it."

The people from Zhen Shui County were ready to face the challenge. Even if they couldn't outdrink these people, they intended to bring down a few and save Dong Xuebing from drinking too much. Judging by Dong Xuebing's condition, the 150 ml of alcohol he had earlier had already taken a toll on him. While Chen Yunsong's alcohol tolerance might be slightly better than Gong Na's and Chen Yunsong's, it was clear they couldn't afford to let Mayor Dong drink too much. If Mayor Dong was genuinely intoxicated and incapacitated, it would fit their opponents' plan.

Dong Xuebing, noticing the situation, immediately gestured to stop them. "Everyone, sit down."

Chen Yunsong said, " Mayor Dong, they…"

Dong Xuebing interrupted, "Just sit and eat your meal."

Chen Yunsong and Gong Na hesitated for a moment but eventually sat down.

Chang Juan quietly reminded, "Dong Xuebing, you can't drink too much; they are planning to…"

"I know," Dong Xuebing replied in a hushed tone. He then looked at Ma Yanfen, holding her cup, and the others on the opposite side. Dong Xuebing's expression seemed genuinely distressed and somewhat drunk, pretending to regard the drink as poisonous. However, beneath his acting, Dong Xuebing had been secretly enjoying the unfolding situation.

"Bureau Chief Ma," Dong Xuebing said.

Ma Yanfen, without hesitation, said, "I'll drink to show my respect." She didn't drink quickly but finished the Baijiu in one go. After finishing, she raised her cup, "Chief Dong, you can't let someone else drink on your behalf."

Dong Xuebing, adept at pretending, looked at the cup with a headache and reluctantly picked it up. "Fine, I can't disregard Bureau Chief Ma."

Gong Na anxiously said, "Mayor Dong…"

Dong Xuebing looked at her and said, "Xiao Gong, if I collapse, it will be troublesome for you to carry me upstairs."

Chang Juan was frustrated seeing that Dong Xuebing couldn't read the situation and wanted to intervene. She even considered taking Dong Xuebing's place in drinking. Even if she collapsed after just one cup, it would at least save Dong Xuebing. Tomorrow, Dong Xuebing had to coordinate with foreign businesses. If he ended up in the hospital, things could get complicated.

However, Dong Xuebing kicked her under the table.

Startled, she blinked and looked at Dong Xuebing, choosing not to say anything.

Dong Xuebing stood up, raised his cup, and struggled to drink. It seemed like he couldn't continue at one point. He rubbed his temples, paused momentarily, and swallowed the last sips. Ma Yanfen applauded, saying, "Impressive drinking capacity." Others joined in, clapping and praising, "Mayor Dong is amazing."

Dong Xuebing, wearing an expression of pain, let out a belch and quickly shook his hand. "I can't, I can't." He sat back down and drank the tea Gong Na offered, drinking it quickly.

Many people looked at him.

Lu Weiguo glanced at Chen Mingming.

Before Dong Xuebing fully recovered, Chen Mingming stood up with another toast. "Mayor Dong, the drink just now was someone drinking on your behalf; it doesn't count. Since you've given face to Old Ma, you must also give face to me. Otherwise, it would be disrespectful to me. Come on, let's have another one."

Dong Xuebing covered his cup. "I can't, I can't."

Lu Weiguo smiled, "Old Chen said it to this point. Drink it, Mayor Dong. We're going back to sleep soon. One more won't hurt."

Dong Xuebing, with a headache, said, "I've already had enough."

Chen Mingming chuckled, "People who have had too much to drink never admit it. I think you still have some spare capacity. As usual, I'll go first."

Dong Xuebing tried to stop him, "No."

Ignoring him, Chen Mingming downed the cup. "Now it's your turn."

Dong Xuebing had no choice. Amid the crowd's cheers, he struggled to finish another cup, taking two minutes and looking visibly strained.

"Good!"

"Cheers!"

Chen Yunsong and Gong Na were extremely worried, but Dong Xuebing, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the situation.

Drinking contest.

Trying to get me drunk.

Are you joking with me?

In the depths of Dong Xuebing's eyes was a look as if he were watching fools. He had been looking forward to teaching these people a lesson. Well, now that they had come to him, they couldn't blame him.

Dong Xuebing's fighting ability was a legend among almost everyone present. He could take on nearly twenty people without a scratch even with a broken body. But Dong Xuebing's alcohol tolerance was something that probably no one in the room knew about. Not even his old colleague, Chang Juan, was familiar with it. There was no one present who had worked in Fenzhou City, and no one had heard about Dong Xuebing's past achievements. If there was anyone who had worked in Fenzhou City and had the intention of getting the God of Plagues drunk, they would probably think these people were crazy. In the past, no one dared to compete in drinking with the God of Plagues in the Fenzhou City government.

That's right.

Not a single person.