Gu Renyu's name, meaning "Jade-like Person," matched his appearance somewhat—he possessed a certain delicate beauty typical of the Jiangnan region. However, when his eyes were filled with fear and his lips twisted in tension, he looked rather hideous.

Yu Chen's adjutant, Zhang Zhihe, did not care about Gu Renyu's personal feelings. He spoke coldly, "Mr. Gu, that is roughly the situation. At this point, you should take some responsibility and return the betrothal gifts immediately."

"I am in Jiangsu, not Anhui. Director Yu, can the People's Party control matters in Jiangsu?" Gu Renyu's lips trembled as he spoke. Mentally, he already considered himself the "maternal uncle" of Wang Youhong, the Governor of Jiangsu. Ignoring Zhang Zhihe, Gu Renyu addressed Yu Chen, who had been sitting silently in his chair.

"Hmph!" Zhang Zhihe sneered. He hadn't expected Gu Renyu to be so bold at this moment. "Mr. Gu, who do you think you are? Since you are in Jiangsu now, between you and Governor Wang, whose words count? If you are told to return the gifts, then return them."

Gu Renyu had not expected that after all his painstaking efforts to escape the People's Party base area, a single letter from the People's Party could still ruin all his plans even in Jiangsu. The frustration was indescribable. He asked loudly, "Is Governor Wang afraid of Chen Ke?"

Selling one's daughter for glory was not an honorable act, and Yu Chen looked down on Gu Renyu from the bottom of his heart. However, before Gu Renyu officially returned the gifts, he didn't want to go too far. He hadn't expected Gu Renyu to be so blind. Whether Wang Youhong feared Chen Ke was not a topic a merchant like Gu Renyu was qualified to discuss. Did a petty merchant think he could stir up conflict between these two figures? Yu Chen wasn't sure how the People's Party would deal with someone like Gu Renyu, but as the Chief of the Police Department, Yu Chen could crush Gu Renyu as easily as crushing a bug. As for a reason, Gu Renyu's provocative words alone were enough for Wang Youhong to find him intolerable.

Zhang Zhihe was even more furious. Gu Renyu had directed his question straight at Yu Chen, clearly ignoring him. Zhang Zhihe had followed Yu Chen since Yu Chen was a surveillance officer, and now as his adjutant, he was not someone a petty merchant like Gu Renyu could slight. Suppressing a strong urge to go up and slap Gu Renyu, Zhang Zhihe pressed, "Mr. Gu, are you going to return the gifts or not?"

Whether inciting discord or feigning grievance, Gu Renyu's core motivation was his reluctance to return the gifts. He had tried so hard to board Wang Youhong's ship, and seeing everything going smoothly, only to have his good deed ruined by the People's Party at the last step—how could he be willing to let it go? Hearing Zhang Zhihe's question, Gu Renyu stiffened his neck and said, "Director Yu, we are in Jiangsu."

Yu Chen had intended to remain calm, but in his agitation, Gu Renyu had stood too close, and a few droplets of spittle had landed on Yu Chen's face. Yu Chen could no longer restrain himself; he stood up and slapped Gu Renyu across the face. Seeing Yu Chen take action, Zhang Zhihe stopped wasting words. He punched Gu Renyu in the face, and several police officers nearby joined in with kicks and punches. After venting their anger satisfactorily, Zhang Zhihe hauled Gu Renyu up. The Military Law Division were experts at beating and binding people. Gu Renyu had been struck in several painful spots and couldn't even cry out in pain for a moment. Just as he caught his breath and wanted to shout, a dirty rag was stuffed into his mouth, immediately stifling his voice. The group then dragged the struggling Gu Renyu out and threw him into a cart outside.

"Director Yu, what do we do next?" Zhang Zhihe asked Yu Chen with a relaxed and happy expression, having dissipated his anger.

"Invite Miss Gu out," Yu Chen replied.

A moment later, Gu Wei appeared before Yu Chen, surrounded by several police officers. Gu Wei looked quite like her father; she was a very beautiful Jiangnan woman with a melon-seed face, large eyes, and fair skin. Because she hadn't stepped out of the house for days, her complexion lacked color, giving her a rather composed air.

Yu Chen glared at Gu Wei with a gaze full of malice. If Gu Wei had been plain-looking, Yu Chen might not have felt such strong revulsion. Since Gu Wei was a beauty, Yu Chen was convinced she was a "vixen." Because of this vixen, a conflict between the People's Party and Jiangsu had nearly erupted. A source of trouble! She was a source of trouble!

Yu Chen could use violence against Gu Renyu, but he couldn't use violence against Gu Wei. Gu Renyu was in Jiangsu and under Wang Youhong's jurisdiction. But the People's Party had explicitly told Wang Youhong that Gu Wei was one of theirs. One must look at the owner before beating the dog. No matter what negative emotions boiled in Yu Chen's heart, he had to be polite on the surface.

"Miss Gu, we are under orders to send you back to Anhui," Yu Chen stood up and said.

There was no confusion as Yu Chen had imagined. Gu Wei looked Yu Chen up and down, then glanced at the surrounding police officers before asking, "May I ask who you are?"

"I am the Chief of the Jiangsu Police Department, Yu Chen."

"Why are you sending me back?" Gu Wei continued to ask.

Yu Chen had assumed that with Gu Renyu being such a character, his daughter wouldn't be much of a person either. Hearing Gu Wei's logical questioning, he was quite surprised. "This... the People's Party states that your father is suspected of human trafficking. According to the People's Party's *Marriage Law*, we are to protect you and send you safely back to Anhui."

"What about my father?"

"Mr. Gu? We have taken him away for questioning first."

Hearing her father had been arrested, Gu Wei did not get agitated, nor did she panic. She stared at Yu Chen for a while before saying, "Even if my father is suspected of selling his daughter, you cannot confiscate his property."

The entire room fell silent. No one expected this girl, Gu Wei, to calmly say such a thing. Whether or not to confiscate Gu Renyu's property hadn't been decided yet, but it was inevitable that Gu Renyu would suffer a "small financial loss." However, with Gu Wei saying this to their faces, it became difficult to proceed.

"What did you say?!" Zhang Zhihe stood in front of Gu Wei with a fierce look and shouted.

Gu Wei was not intimidated by Zhang Zhihe. She replied calmly, "Even if my father wanted to sell me, that is a matter between father and daughter. He spent his life working hard to accumulate his family property. It cannot be seized by others just because of a conflict between us."

Zhang Zhihe was momentarily at a loss for words. After a moment, he said, "Miss Gu, your father was going to sell you, yet you still think of him. Why bother? do you think your father will still acknowledge you after this is over?"

"He effectively disowned me with this matter," Gu Wei said, a trace of sadness finally appearing on her face. "If it were just the two of us never acknowledging each other again, then naturally I wouldn't trouble you all. But if someone wants to take advantage of this matter to seize his property, since I am already involved, I cannot sit by and ignore it."

Yu Chen looked at Gu Wei coldly, feeling a wave of apprehension in his heart. *What kind of people does the People's Party train?* She was clearly a young woman about to be sold by her father, yet she hadn't lost her cool even at this stage. Originally, Yu Chen found it strange that Wang Youhong wanted to marry a female teacher from the People's Party. Hearing that the woman resolutely refused, Yu Chen had thought she wouldn't last long. He hadn't expected that not only had the situation completely turned around, but this girl could also look out for her father's property at the last moment. Even an average man wouldn't be this bold and meticulous.

"Miss Gu, we are under orders to send you back to Anhui. We can't manage other matters. Pack your things and come with us now," Yu Chen said.

"Director Yu, where did the People's Party base area ask you to send me?"

Yu Chen was shaken by these words. The People's Party had asked Wang Youhong to hand over Gu Wei and Gu Renyu to the People's Party's liaison station in Nanjing, and Wang Youhong had given Yu Chen the same order. But matching the two things together, Yu Chen realized why Gu Wei was difficult to deal with. Since she was trying to protect her father's property, and she was to be handed over to the People's Party liaison station, Gu Wei would have ample opportunity to take action. Wang Youhong didn't covet Gu Renyu's bit of property. for Wang Youhong, kicking this annoying fellow Gu Renyu out of Jiangsu was enough.

The King of Hell is easy to see, but the little goblins are hard to deal with. It was actually the police department that wanted to move on Gu Renyu's property. The economy in Jiangsu wasn't good right now, and the police department was struggling. With such a great opportunity, as long as this hot potato Gu Wei left Jiangsu, Gu Renyu would have to lose a few layers of skin regardless. It wasn't that Yu Chen was personally greedy; the police department needed to eat and drink too. But this golden opportunity was about to be ruined by Gu Wei right before his eyes.

"Go where you are told to go, stop talking nonsense," Zhang Zhihe shouted angrily.

Yu Chen was not so childish. This was a time where avoiding trouble was better than creating it. If a dispute arose over this bit of money, he wouldn't be able to explain it to Wang Youhong. The People's Party was currently angry at Gu Renyu. But clearly, the People's Party valued Gu Wei highly. If Gu Wei appealed to the People's Party, and they sent another official letter, Yu Chen would be in a difficult spot.

Having thought it through, Yu Chen smiled. "We are under orders to send Miss Gu to the People's Party Liaison Office. Please pack your things and come with us. As for your father's property, we won't touch it. However, the betrothal gifts he received must be returned."

This was the first time he used an honorific with Gu Wei. It wasn't that Yu Chen was afraid of her, but rather an unconscious expression of respect for this formidable woman.

The matter was finally resolved five days later. Gu Renyu was soundly beaten several times in the police station. The betrothal gifts were returned threefold. Under the mediation of the People's Party representative, Gu Renyu, filled with resentment, took his valuables and money and prepared to go to Zhejiang. His house and shops in Nanjing were bought by the People's Party Liaison Office at a very reasonable price.

Gu Wei waited until the agreements were reached before boarding a boat to Anhui. The father and daughter did not speak again until the end; severing ties was an inevitable outcome.

That an event that seemingly could have sparked a war ended like this caused Yu Chen to accept the result while developing a great dread of the People's Party.