Rebirth: I Became Mr.President's Beloved-Chapter 1144: Li Hao Wants to Force Him to Take Action
When the door was pushed open, Li Ruan also raised his head.
The first person he saw was one of those who captured him at the foot of Building No. 8. After opening the door, this person retreated silently to the side, and then Li Ruan saw the person who ordered his capture.
The entrance at the doorway had no lights on, yet the room was as bright as daylight.
This was precisely Song Baiyan.
— Passing through that darkness, stepping into the light.
The incandescent light climbed onto Song Baiyan’s shirt, letting Li Ruan see Song Baiyan clearly. Compared to what he had seen on TV or during the village visit, Song Baiyan, sitting on the chair at the foot of the bed, seemed to exude less of the authority seen in the news. However, his powerful and intimidating aura was no longer deliberately restrained.
Now, sharing the same room with Song Baiyan, Li Ruan was increasingly certain—what he told Tang Li was likely relayed verbatim to Song Baiyan.
The question is, does Tang Li know Song Baiyan captured him?
Breaking the silence first was also Song Baiyan: "The security system at Yunqi Villa needs an update."
Upon hearing this, Li Ruan once again looked at the man sitting on the chair.
In front of his "prisoner," Song Baiyan maintained his composure, meeting his gaze with a slight smile of goodwill: "He Wei mentioned that it took both him and Yuan Qin to gain the upper hand. If I’m not mistaken, you should have served in the 5th Regiment of the 2nd Division of the 5th Army stationed at Chiang Mai Prefecture in Siamese country."
Li Ruan agreed silently with these words.
The 5th Army, Siamese country’s most elite special operations unit.
He enlisted at eighteen and was summoned back to the Li Family by Li Hao three years later.
Later, he abandoned the soldier’s identity and went to the Golden Triangle.
Even though Song Baiyan was the head of the administrative body of this country, Li Ruan showed no fear as he responded, explaining: "S country has been rigorous in its anti-drug operations recently. I’ve been beside Kun for many years, S country has always kept an eye on Golden Triangle activities, and the border guards undoubtedly have my photo."
All those smuggling channels have been blocked.
That’s why he took Hong Tai’s private jet on this trip.
"Tang Li is a descendant of the Li Family who has fallen out with them, and is the only sixth generation member of the main family," Li Ruan didn’t hide his intention for this trip: "The Family Head was very heartbroken upon hearing about the hardships she endured at the Lai Family, and now only hopes she can return to the main family as soon as possible."
Song Baiyan said: "After recognizing her roots, let her learn from you and become an undercover agent?"
Li Ruan listened without argument.
Because Li Hao indeed had this plan.
Isa is extremely vigilant, so it’s not easy to plant someone beside him.
Decades ago, Isa admired Tang Shen’s refining skills and once wanted to recruit him to his side. For a drug lord, possessing an excellent refiner is equivalent to holding assets worth billions.
Upon learning that Tang Shen’s granddaughter understood refining, Isa definitely showed interest.
Kun was so polite to Tang Li at the village, largely due to Isa’s instructions.
Tang Li, as a fugitive, being "captured" back wouldn’t arouse much suspicion from Isa and others.
However, before Li Ruan could elaborate on the plan, Song Baiyan raised further doubts: "Regarding her safety, who will be responsible if she’s placed beside Isa? Will you accompany her, or will the Li Family send another bodyguard? Isa often uses heroin to control his subordinates. Can you guarantee that Isa won’t find a way to get her addicted while she’s in Nanwa?"
These concerns were indeed in his thoughts.
Still, Li Hao’s words lingered in his mind.
[A competent member of the Li Family should be able to protect themselves.]
Sending Tang Li to Nanwa is a test set by Li Hao for her.
"Half of Burma’s economy relies on poppy cultivation, especially for local armed forces, as heroin provides them resource assurance. Trying to capture Isa equals cutting off their financial path."
Song Baiyan leaned forward, resting his watch-adorned left hand on his knee: "Unless your Li Family is ready to supply these armed forces for years."
A military force of two to three thousand would require four to five million US dollars annually.
And within Burma, there are more than thirty armed forces of varying sizes.
Li Ruan’s right hand, restrained, tightened.
No matter how large the Li Family is, they can’t sustain such a pack of hungry wolves.
Moreover, if the Li Family publicly becomes the patron of Burma’s armed forces, the Siamese monarch, already wary of the Li Family while holding military power, might never tolerate the existence of the Li Family again.
As for their plan to capture Isa—
Song Baiyan was almost explicitly saying "it won’t succeed."
Even the armed units who had agreed to help them might likely switch sides.
Song Baiyan’s words seemingly used the greatest malice to gauge everyone, yet Li Ruan had to admit his analysis made a lot of sense.
Li Hao, having tragically lost both his son and brother, inevitably harbored deep-seated resentment, becoming increasingly autocratic within the Li Family over the years. In comparison, Song Baiyan, the ruler of S country, clearly saw much farther and clearer.
Song Baiyan did not linger further.
As he rose, Li Ruan lifted his head again.
Li Ruan looked at the tall and upright frame of Song Baiyan, hearing him leave a message: "If Li Hao wants to acknowledge this granddaughter, let him come to S country in person, and my Song Family will welcome him warmly."
With these words, Song Baiyan exited the room.
As for Li Ruan, he would naturally be released.
S country does not have habits of kidnapping foreign leaders’ guards.
However, his release would mean directly boarding Hong Tai’s private jet tomorrow.
The State Guesthouse is not far from Tan Palace, just a ten-minute ride.
He Wei conferred a few words with the plainclothes guards watching Li Ruan before heading downstairs. When he got in the car, Song Baiyan did not rest with closed eyes.
"Hong Tai seems to have noticed someone missing," He Wei turned from the passenger seat respectfully: "But he suppressed the issue, not ordering a search nor reporting a disappearance."
Not reporting signifies a guilty conscience.
Regarding Li Ruan, Hong Tai clearly acted in self-interest.
If it blows up, he’d be the one unable to handle it.
Instead of being held accountable by S country afterward, better to act as if nothing happened.
Back at Tan Palace, Song Baiyan didn’t go upstairs to rest but went to the office in the west wing instead.
Did Li Hao genuinely want Tang Li to become an undercover agent?
— Not necessarily.
As a Chinese, Li Hao is not short of connections in S country.
Li Hao is not like the young Li Ruan; upon learning of Tang Li’s relationship with Tang Shen, he certainly investigated more, and Li Hao likely already knows about Tang Li’s marital status.
Sending Li Ruan to find Tang Li, it can’t be completely hidden from him.
Li Hao would not be unaware of this.
Li Ruan is but the bait released by Li Hao.
Li Hao knows perfectly well that as Tang Li’s husband, he can’t possibly let his wife take any risk.
Song Baiyan held a remote control, looking at the Burmese map on the projection screen, also enlarging the Shan State and Nanwa panels.
In essence, Li Hao is forcing him to act.
— Using his hand to pressure Burma’s officials.
— Using S country’s powerful national strength to make Burma’s various armed forces fearful.
Only by driving away the amulets around Isa can the Siamese plan to arrest Isa have a chance of success.
—
Good night.
