He moved on to a more detailed analysis, arguing that most of the points raised in Shanshan’s documentary would prove to be thought-provoking, not only to the ordinary people, but to the government officials too, as the mounting public outcry about the horrendous air quality could be seen as something threatening the legitimacy of the Party rule. As for some politically sensitive material in the documentary, he maintained that the censorship office would effectively take care of it, so there was no possibility of the documentary coming into conflict with the Party’s interests.

In the middle of all of this, he did not mention Shanshan’s plan to post it online instead of submitting it for approval of its release. Anyway, that was not something discussed in the meeting at the club in the New World.

Then came a crucial part in his report. Judging by Zhao’s earlier response to the info regarding Zhonghua Petroleum Company and Qiang’s disappearance, it might not be such a long shot to assume some conspiracies going on high up, even involving senior leaders like Zhao at the top.

As there are interpretations and interpretations about things working in the Party’s interest or against it, it was not unimaginable for Zhao to see any attempt against him as against the Party’s interests, though the other factions opposing him in the Forbidden City saw it the other way around.

Hence the possibility for Chen to apply the stratagem of ‘killing a man with another man’s knife’, as explored in that ancient classic Zhao had also read.

Chen continued his report.

In the course of the investigation, I’ve been more and more concerned with some Party cadres’ attitude toward the environmental crisis. One concrete example in the documentary is Yuan Jing’s interview with Kang of Zhonghua Petroleum Company. His argument is simply so GDP-oriented, careless of ecological consequences, and callous to people’s suffering. With the release of the documentary, we will convince our people that we’re opposing such practices as represented by Kang, making serious efforts to combat it and taking their interests to heart. So I’m enclosing a copy of the entire interview between Kang and Yuan Jing.

And during the investigation, I also noticed something else highly suspicious and disturbing. Qiang’s mysterious disappearance, which I have already briefed you about earlier. It’s a horror to think that they’re aware I’ve been doing the job for you – under your personal instruction – but they still went ahead like that. With clues and evidence still coming in, I think I’ll have to make a personal report to you about it in a couple of days. It could have been orchestrated by somebody higher above, with real power, and perhaps with Internal Security at his control, too.

These were shots in the dark, which Chen had to fire.

Those who backed the petroleum group behind the scenes, as whispered, had been involved in some power struggle at the top. If this was the case, how would Zhao have reacted?