Chapter 1368: Chapter 179: Turning the Tables

Shipman helping shipman, especially since most of the crew on the ten or so ships next door are Gu Liugen’s fellow villagers or even relatives.

The two judges realized that it wasn’t easy to seize the ship, and if they really took coercive measures against Gu Liugen and his wife on the grounds of obstructing official duties, they were highly likely to get beaten black and blue by the indignant shipmen, perhaps even thrown into the river.

Local police and the Changhang police didn’t help.

A wise man knows when to retreat.

They could only return the ship certificates to Gu Liugen and his wife and followed Han Yu to disembark using the Iron Dinghy.

The shipmen onboard were jubilant, but Xiao Yu, who stayed behind because the Iron Dinghy couldn’t accommodate everyone, wasn’t so optimistic and reminded them, "What’s there to be happy about? If you buy a ship but don’t go through the transfer procedures, legally speaking, this ship belongs to Wang Chengsong, and the court has the authority to enforce its judgment!"

"Captain Liang, what should we do?" Li Yufang asked anxiously.

Xiao Yu was stumped and thought for a long while before laughing wryly, "This situation is very troublesome, I think you all will have to go to court next."

Gu Liugen asked with a bitter face, "How do we file this lawsuit?"

"I don’t know much about it either, but I know someone who does. You can note down his phone number and call him for advice."

"Who?"

"President Zhang of Linghai Ship Management Company."

...

Meanwhile, Han Yu, who had just seen Judge Liu and the others off and was waiting for Xiao Yu to come ashore, suddenly received a call from Xiang Qian.

There’s no public phone by the riverbank, so he could only use his mobile phone.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the call connected, Xiang Qian’s voice came over the line, "Salted Fish, you’re quite something now, actually advising judges on how to do their job!"

"Director Yu, they really handled this poorly. If they can do it, why can’t I say something?" Han Yu retorted, mumbled after thinking, "I suspect the bank must have treated them to quite a few meals, maybe even promised benefits; otherwise, why would they travel so far to enforce a judgment during the New Year?"

"Don’t speak frivolously without evidence."

"Alright, alright, as if I never said it. Anyway, I’ve completed my task and urgently need to get back for New Year’s Eve dinner."

Xi Qian was tasked by someone to ensure the personal safety of the enforcement judge and the bailiffs, and he wasn’t keen on dealing with the court’s case, so he quickly changed the topic, "Salted Fish, where are you and Ningning celebrating New Year this year?"

"We’re celebrating at Bailong Port this year. My parents have returned, my sister’s family is back, and my in-laws are here too, it’s truly a big reunion, haven’t had such a lively occasion in a long time."

"A whole family reunion, truly envious of you."

"Director Yu, what about you?"

"I’ll be celebrating in Yungang, later I’ll go to visit the police on duty for New Year’s Eve, and tomorrow I must check on each unit’s situation during the holiday duty; won’t be able to go home until the fourth day."

"I’m occupied on the fourth, can’t accompany you then."

"You manage your own business; you don’t need to accompany me. Moreover, I’m not going downtown, I’m just going to my hometown for a day."

...

Perhaps they’re too familiar with each other, Han Yu never regarded Xiang Qian as a superior.

After exchanging a few words, without any early New Year greetings, the call ended.

Xiao Yu climbed ashore, took out his car keys and as he walked to the car, laughed, "Salted Fish Dried, I gave Jack Zhang’s phone number to Boss Huang’s brother-in-law, asked them to call Jack and see if he has any way to help solve this matter."

"This problem is quite difficult to resolve."

"Can’t manage to get the transfer procedures done?"

"The King-surnamed guy is hiding somewhere, how to manage the transfer?" Han Yu opened the car door and got into the passenger seat, then pondered before saying, "If those two judges adhere strictly to procedures, this matter is indeed tough to manage. They’re from the Middle Court, have a bailiff brigade, next time more than four bailiffs could come, and next time Gu Liugen might not have as many fellow villagers to help like today."

"What can we do? We can’t let honest people suffer!"

"Indeed, we can’t let honest people suffer." Han Yu fell silent for a moment, then picked up the radio intercom and called out, "Old Chen, Old Chen, this is Han Yu, can you hear me?"

During the New Year period, water firefighting is crucial.

With so many ships anchored together, if one catches fire, the dozens tied together won’t be able to escape.

Old Chen was taking advantage of this opportunity to inspect firefighting status and quickly raised the intercom, "Received, received, Secretary Han, please speak."

"The matter Gu Liugen encountered is quite troublesome, they can’t take care of the transfer procedures, don’t even know who to sue in court, once executed, they can enforce it a second time. Facing such an unlucky situation, the only thing to do is hide; anyway, the ship floats on the river, today here, tomorrow there, it’s not easy for others to find them."

Old Chen could clearly discern the implication in Han Yu’s words, and couldn’t help but laugh, "Constantly hiding isn’t a solution."

"It was a rundown second-hand ship in the first place; they’ve owned it for nearly two years now, surely they should’ve made back their investment. As long as they can run for a few days, they should."

"Makes sense."

"But one point must be clear to them: while they hide, they must still pay taxes and fees as required, and maintain insurance coverage."

"I know, paying taxes and getting insurance is straightforward, haven’t they already used scalpers to handle whatever procedures they couldn’t handle without connecting with the King-surnamed guy?"

"Let’s leave it for now, then."

"Alright, I’ll return after inspecting the firefighting situation."

...

In practice, Binjiang’s police are quite reasonable and compassionate.

Gu Liugen and his wife were so moved by Old Chen’s hint that they wanted to cry. If they weren’t worried about the court people coming back, and were eager to leave this "troubled place," the couple even planned to go ashore and make two banners to give to the Water Police Station and the Changhang Bureau.

Han Yu knew nothing about this and returned to Bailong Port to continue accompanying his family.

In the past year, Old Han’s transport business had been good. To make the children happy, he bought a whole bunch of fireworks worth 300 yuan. Plus the ones Yu Zhen bought for the kids, they spent the night setting off firecrackers and fireworks.

After the New Year’s Eve dinner, they set off fireworks and then played cards.

In Linghai, there’s a tradition to stay up late on New Year’s Eve, and they played all the way until midnight. It wasn’t until the host on Central TV started the countdown that everyone put down their cards, went outside, and continued setting off firecrackers to greet the new year.

Because he stayed up so late, Han Yu rarely got to sleep in and slept until 11 o’clock in the morning.

They had previously agreed to have lunch on the first day of the New Year at Xiao Yu’s house.

After washing up, Han Yu put on his pilot leather jacket and was just about to head to Xiao Yu’s house with Dongdong, who also just got up, when Director Wang unexpectedly called.

The Bailong Port police office didn’t have much going on, and there was no need for duty during the New Year.

The door was locked, and the key was with Xiao Yu, so Han Yu could only answer with his cell phone.

"Director Wang, Happy New Year, sending you New Year’s greetings..." Before Han Yu could finish his auspicious words, Wang Wenhong chuckled bitterly and said, "Salted Fish, did you offend someone yesterday?"

"It’s the New Year, how could I offend someone!"

"Did you or Xiao Yu see judges and bailiffs from Yungang yesterday?"

"Yeah, I got a call from Director Yu personally, saying that several judges and bailiffs came to forcefully execute a ship, but were blocked by the shipmen, and asked me to help rescue them."

"It seems that being a good person doesn’t pay." Wang Wenhong sighed lightly and chuckled bitterly: "Not only did they not appreciate it, but they also think that the Changhang Bureau and our Water Police Station are engaging in local protectionism and reported us."

Han Yu couldn’t believe his ears and asked in shock: "They reported us?"

"The president of that court is somewhat influential and actually reported it to the Provincial Political Committee. The Provincial Political Committee called the City Political and Legal Committee this morning. The City Political and Legal Committee called Director Chen, and Director Chen called me to understand the situation."

"Are you kidding me, such a trivial matter disturbs the Provincial Political Committee!" 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"That’s why I said they are somewhat influential."

Wang Wenhong paused and continued, "Also, the few judges and bailiffs you sent off yesterday never returned to Yungang and must have exaggerated something to their leaders. Anyway, they brought reinforcements, and this morning about a dozen bailiffs came, led by a vice president, it seems."

Han Yu asked in a low voice: "Why bring so many bailiffs?"

"To continue the execution, but unfortunately, the ship had already left yesterday, so they came empty-handed, which gave them another charge against us."

"What’s the additional charge?"

"Leaking information."

"Hahahaha."

"You actually have the mood to laugh!"

"Bringing so many bailiffs to execute a now possibly seven or eight thousand yuan worth of second-hand junk ship, isn’t it ridiculous?"

Wang Wenhong was helpless and knocked on the table saying: "I’ve just inquired, they said it was because we were engaging in local protectionism, siding and not cooperating with the forced execution, which is why they mobilized so much police force."

Han Yu said without thinking: "First of all, we have no obligation to assist them in the forced execution. Secondly, even if we don’t cooperate, what can they do about us!"

"As much as that is true, but this matter has already alerted the Provincial Political Committee, and the Provincial Department will probably learn of it soon."

"Even if the Provincial Department knows, they can’t just listen to one side of the story."

"Which is why I just called Luo Wenjiang."

"Almost forgot, Luo Wenjiang is in the Provincial Department, we have someone there."

"Stop joking, you need to be mentally prepared that the City Political and Legal Committee might contact you to understand the situation. After all, the Provincial Political Committee has been alarmed, and they need to provide a reply."

They are foolish officials with foolish rulings. They came to forcibly execute and got blocked by outraged shipmen. We kindly rescued them so they could go home for the New Year, yet they act ungrateful like a dog biting Lv Dongbin. They probably made promises they couldn’t keep before coming over, and now they’re trying to backstab us.

The more Han Yu thought about it, the more upset he got, and he said lightly: "I’m a police officer of the Jiangnan Province Smuggling Crime Investigation Bureau Binjiang Branch. Our branch is a vertically managed unit, administratively not under the City Bureau, and operationally not guided by the City Bureau. I’m not part of the Binjiang political and legal system, so why should the City Political Committee come to me to understand the situation? It would make more sense for the Provincial Political Committee to contact the Jiangnan Smuggling Crime Investigation Bureau first."

"Hmm, that does seem to make sense."

"I’m busy enjoying the New Year feast, I have no time to play word games with them."

Tough stance!

This is the confidence of a Second-level Model and an Anti-flood Model!

Wang Wenhong was also quite annoyed by the people from Yungang and said, "Similarly, the Changhang Bureau is also vertically managed, and Xiao Yu is not part of the Binjiang political and legal system either, so it seems inappropriate for the City Political and Legal Committee to seek out Xiao Yu for information."

Han Yu couldn’t help but laugh: "So, they can only talk to Old Chen, and Old Chen neither said nor did anything out of line yesterday, so there’s nothing for Old Chen to fear."

"So our Water Police Station has nothing to do with this?"

"No relation whatsoever."

"Then how are you and Xiao Yu related to this matter, or in what capacity did you board the ship to mediate?"

"We didn’t mediate; we just gave a shout upon seeing injustice!"

"So should I just reply like that?"

"Just reply like that."