Chapter 35: The PR Firm Is Shut Down, Sending Shockwaves Through the Industry!

Zheng Yong stood up abruptly from his chair, frowning. "What? The tax bureau?"

"What are they here for? Didn't they just finish auditing our books last month?"

The secretary’s expression was grave. "It’s not just the tax bureau; the police are here too. I suspect something might have gone wrong with the company."

Zheng Yong’s face turned cold. He said in a deep voice, "What could possibly be wrong? Our company has always been in good standing!"

The secretary lowered his head and replied, "Yes, but you should go and see for yourself..."

Zheng Yong nodded, feeling a strange sense of panic. "Young Master Chen, please sit here for a moment. I need to go handle this."

Chen Arthur remained silent; since the man had an emergency, there was nothing he could say.

Zheng Yong straightened his clothes, intending to head downstairs. However, before he could even reach the door, a group of people in uniforms walked in.

"General Manager Zheng, where are you heading?"

Leading them was a man in his forties wearing an administrative jacket, clearly a government official. Zheng Yong quickly put on a smile. "Oh, Director Wu, what brings you here? I was just about to head down to greet you."

The man was Wu Lingsong, an official from the Shanghai Tax Bureau, whom Zheng Yong knew quite well. Wu Lingsong looked stern, without a hint of a smile. "General Manager Zheng, we have received reports and have already secured relevant evidence. Your company is suspected of tax evasion amounting to 760 million! Furthermore, you are suspected of spreading rumors, inciting public opinion illegally, and causing serious harm to others. Please come with us."

He added, "Additionally, the company is hereby sealed for investigation and rectification, and all operations must cease immediately!"

After hearing this, Zheng Yong was completely stunned. What on earth was going on? Where did all these charges suddenly come from? Deep down, however, Zheng Yong felt guilty—the tax evasion was true! But those problematic accounts had been scrubbed clean; how could they have been discovered?

Before Zheng Yong could react, two police officers stepped forward, grabbed his arms, and hauled him away by force. Zheng Yong panicked. "What are you doing? What is the meaning of this?!"

Wu Lingsong said in a deep voice, "What are we doing? You have committed serious criminal offenses, and I have an arrest warrant!"

Zheng Yong struggled for a moment, then softened his tone. "Don't do this. There are many people watching in the office; I can walk on my own!"

Wu Lingsong ignored him and said coldly, "Put the cuffs on."

A pair of silver bracelets was locked onto Zheng Yong’s wrists. In front of everyone, he was taken downstairs and shoved into a police car.

Chen Arthur, who had witnessed the entire process from upstairs, stood there, looking bewildered. Everything had happened too suddenly. He had just arrived and hadn't even finished discussing things with Zheng Yong when the man was arrested! Now, the matter regarding Wu Yufei would be impossible to resolve.

Furthermore, Chen Arthur felt a strange unease. The official had just mentioned that Zheng Yong was accused of spreading rumors and inciting malicious public opinion. Could this be related to the situation with Yang Mi? Connecting the two, a chilling thought crossed Chen Arthur’s mind.

"Let’s go. We should head back," Chen Arthur said, pulling Wu Yufei toward the car.

In the car, Wu Yufei sat with a vacant expression, her eyes dull. She could already foresee her future crumbling.

"Wuwuwu..." Wu Yufei began to cry. "Honey, what do we do now? My career is completely over!"

Chen Arthur’s face was grim, and he felt impatient with her crying. "You’re usually so tough; why are you blubbering the moment something goes wrong? Stop bothering me; I’m trying to think of a solution. No matter who Yang Mi has found, I don’t believe she can stir up that much trouble!"

With things reaching this point, Chen Arthur felt deeply displeased. It wasn't that he cared deeply for Wu Yufei; to put it bluntly, she was just a bed partner. But being unable to protect his "little girlfriend" was a huge loss of face in their social circles. For someone like him, face was worth more than anything.

Chen Arthur drove away from Wanxing PR.

...

Soon, the news of Wanxing PR being sealed hit the internet! Furthermore, the reports about how the firm had manipulated public opinion against Yang Mi to favor Wu Yufei began to spread like wildfire across the web.

Countless netizens were shocked! So, it turned out that Wu Yufei’s previous image makeover had been orchestrated by a company! And everyone knew Wu Yufei was backed by Chen Arthur; surely he would step in to defend her?

However, it now appeared that there might be someone even more powerful behind Yang Mi; otherwise, Wu Yufei wouldn't have failed! For a time, the showdown between Wu Yufei and Yang Mi became the subject of intense debate among netizens. Many even speculated whether the sealing of Wanxing PR was due to the influence of Yang Mi’s backers...

...

Meanwhile, in a riverside villa in Shanghai, Feng Kuzi sat on the sofa after finishing a script, quietly playing a game of chess. Sitting across from him was his assistant, Ding Yue.

"Sixth Master, your chess skills are truly becoming more refined. I simply cannot keep up," Ding Yue said, his pieces decimated as he gave a bitter smile. "I’ve been crushed in this game."

Feng Kuzi replied calmly, "In chess, one shouldn't dwell on winning or losing; after all, you can always replay the game. But you cannot do the same in life; once you lose, there is no second chance."

Ding Yue nodded. "Sixth Master, the dirt on Wu Yufei is everywhere online now. Do you think Young Master Chen has lost? Also, the PR firm working with him was just sealed, and their chairman was taken away."

Hearing this, Feng Xiaogang raised his brows, a look of surprise crossing his face. "Wanxing PR was sealed?"

He then revealed a faint, intrigued smile. "Heh, so it seems Yang Mi has someone powerful backing her. Perhaps the game between these two women will be more interesting than I imagined."

Ding Yue mused, "Or rather, it is a game between Young Master Chen and Yang Mi. The internet is buzzing with how Wu Yufei is being bullied and how Chen Arthur can’t beat Yang Mi. Heh, the Young Master has always been a man who values his reputation; he won’t swallow this defeat."

Feng Xiaogang remained calm. "Youthful arrogance—that is normal. It seems that, if nothing unexpected happens, Arthur will be coming to see me soon."

Ding Yue nodded. Director Feng was Chen Arthur’s uncle; with Director Chen away, Director Feng was the primary backer for the young man.

Just as he finished speaking, a man and a woman walked in from outside—it was none other than Chen Arthur and Wu Yufei.

Feng Kuzi said with a raspy laugh, "Speak of the devil, and he shall appear."