Daily Life in the Countryside After Being Reborn

Chapter 853: Chapter 14: Interrogation (Part 2)

The tobacco consisted of all premium tobacco seedlings, and the planting process hadn’t had issues until April of the second year, when the first batch of harvested tobacco leaves were used to make cigarettes, leading to the toxic cigarette incident.

When the incident first occurred, Zhu Shijun had already been notified and wanted to seize the opportunity before the situation escalated further. He planned to urgently handle the batch of tobacco, so he sent Xiao Xian’s father to Guizhou personally, masquerading as a private tobacco company to purchase the tobacco at a high price. However, while negotiating the tobacco acquisition, cigarettes made from the toxic tobacco appeared on the market, totaling over a thousand cartons.

Ultimately, the Safety Bureau traced the source back to Zhu Shijun. Xiao Xian’s parents, guilty and on the run, fled to Guangdong. They ended their lives by carbon monoxide poisoning in a hotel there, leaving behind the bereft Xiao Xian and the deeply troubled Zhu Shijun.

A white-haired person sending off a black-haired one—events from eight years ago replayed vividly in Zhu Shijun’s mind.

Deported to Guizhou, Zhu Shijun couldn’t comprehend how the verified premium herbs could turn into something as addictive and toxic as "poisonous tobacco."

In the first few years in Guizhou, the old man had given up on matters in Beijing. However, over the years, he grew increasingly suspicious and delegated some people to find old smokers from those times. No one admitted to swapping tobacco seedlings back then.

After numerous inquiries, Zhu Shijun found a loophole.

Approximately nine years ago, when the tobacco seedlings were delivered to local tobacco farmers, there was a period when the Agricultural Bureau dispatched some skilled technicians to rural areas to guide farmers on handling pest issues with the tobacco seedlings. During that time, Wang Peng was one of those technicians.

Clearly being from the Safety Bureau, why masquerade as an agricultural expert under the guise of knowing how farmers cultivate tobacco? The Wang Family historically pursued careers in the military or politics, abstaining from farming, and upon meeting Wang Peng in person, Zhu Shijun was further convinced that he wasn’t the type who’d seek farmer welfare.

"Haha, Director Zhu, if you had listened back then and slightly increased the nicotine content in domestic cigarettes by a few percentage points, the incident eight years ago wouldn’t have happened, and your daughter and son-in-law wouldn’t have died in Guangdong. You brought this upon yourself," Wang Peng laughed boisterously.

Wang Peng’s laughter was dark and eerie, laden with endless sarcasm and smugness. His laughter and words were like a pair of bloody daggers stabbing into Zhu Shijun’s heart. The old man clenched his fist, his robust body towering like a mountain.

He grabbed Wang Peng by the collar, his eyes bulging, and the veins in his hand bulging like writhing worms. "Wang Peng, don’t think just because you’re from the Wang Family, you can control everything in the country. Don’t forget, there’s still national law, there’s always someone above and beyond. As long as I’m breathing, don’t think you can just Silence this matter,"

"Director Zhu, you’re still as obstinate as ever. I’m not afraid to speak those words before you. National law? Sure, turning legal tobacco into high-content addictive cigarettes, if discovered, is enough for execution a hundred times over. But don’t forget, you’re no longer the influential Director of the Tobacco Bureau. I won’t let any trace of pharmaceuticals remain in my tobacco now as I did back then. You can’t do anything to me." Wang Peng, having finished laughing, withdrew the previously provocative tone.

"?" Zhu Shijun listened, his anger replaced by a wave of terrifying fear.

"To be more explicit, Director Zhu, you have talent. You can smell tobacco and discern the nicotine level, ascertain the year the tobacco was produced. Even our family doesn’t match up to that. Modern tobacco testing relies heavily on various high-precision machines, which have their advantages but also fatal flaws. If the operator makes mistakes, products that ought to be banned can flood into the market. Not everyone has Zhu Shijun’s keen eye,"

"You think holding me here will ensure no one can spot your tampering with the toxic tobacco? Wang Peng, you’ve overestimated yourself. We still have inspection and quarantine..." Zhu Shijun recalled the scene when those people met Wang Peng earlier.

"If I merely wanted to hold you, I wouldn’t have come to Guizhou personally. Let me put it this way, Director Zhu, I’ll call you Mr. Zhu out of respect. You indeed still have some usefulness. After that incident years ago, the old veteran tobacco farmers in Guizhou abandoned cultivating tobacco. Few are willing to plant tobacco these years. Coincidentally, my batch of tobacco is very challenging to cultivate, and I need a group of people for specialized planting. You’re undoubtedly the best candidate to train and supervise them." Wang Peng finally clarified the purpose of his visit.

It’s the most troublesome aspect for Wang Peng as well. Eight years ago, the tobacco he developed was merely substandard and utterly destroyed by Zhu Shijun.

After several years of research, he finally developed a batch of tobacco seedlings comparable to those from back then. Unfortunately, the tobacco requires very high cultivation conditions and planting requirements, needing the most experienced old tobacco farmers using Guizhou soil for cultivation. But those old farmers, having experienced the toxic tobacco incident, refuse to help the government or anyone else plant tobacco.

Wang Peng has offered the highest prices, but those stubborn old farmers insist, stating that only if Zhu Shijun returns will they collectively assist in planting.

Zhu Shijun sneered, "You think I’ll agree?"

"You have no reason not to. This batch of tobacco won’t be sold domestically, at most only trial products in the domestic market. Besides, even if you dismiss considering your old bones, you must consider your granddaughter," Wang Peng chuckled, tossing a stack of documents on the table. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to visit Qidian () to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)