ABT ### Chapter 128: Retribution

The *Zuo Zhuan* states: "To err is human; to forgive, divine." This principle applies to businesses as well. A large-scale enterprise, with its myriad departments and complex functions, can never guarantee perfection in all matters, no matter how strict its management system may be. Hence, consumers can be understanding of certain mistakes.

However, what truly enraged consumers in this axle fracture incident was Mitsubishi's attitude in handling the problem. First, they concealed the truth and refused to admit there was a quality issue with their product. When it became clear that they couldn't hide it any longer, they resorted to increasingly despicable tactics—colluding with inspection agencies and attempting to bribe law enforcement officials...

These actions were so deplorable that even the hired internet trolls couldn't spin the narrative positively. One such comment read: "This job pays 50 cents per comment, but it's really hard to earn this money!" The trolls racked their brains but couldn't find a breakthrough point, so they returned the money, admitting they couldn't fabricate strong enough arguments.

Thus, Mitsubishi Motors suffered a devastating defeat. Since the incident came to light, the company received feedback from dealers across the country that four of its products had become unsellable. No matter what promotional strategies the dealers used, consumers simply wouldn't buy them.

Not only did the automotive products suffer, but even the company's engines faced a wave of order cancellations. For an automobile company, this was a catastrophic disaster.

The seven contracts they had initially signed to suppress ZGX888 were all put on hold.

It became a joke—every time someone saw a Mitsubishi product, they would ask, "Does this have any quality issues?" If a front axle could cause such a big accident, what would happen if there were engine problems? Before, saying an engine was made by Mitsubishi would make consumers nod in approval. Now, saying an engine is made by Mitsubishi would likely earn a face full of spit.

Nanqi (Southern Auto) also suffered. The people involved in the evidence tampering had already been apprehended by the police. The truth was bound to come out eventually as the investigation continued.

In desperation, Zhang Yong decided to sacrifice a pawn to save the king, and with great effort, managed to persuade Wu Haiyan to take the fall for him. Despite her panic, Wu Haiyan calculated that if Zhang Yong went down, her assets would be in jeopardy too. Spending a couple of years in prison was preferable to losing everything. She chose the former.

Thus, Wu Haiyan took the blame for Zhang Yong in this matter.

But if a person commits too many sins, no talisman can protect them. Just as Wu Haiyan was sent to prison, the disciplinary inspection department conducted a surprise inspection of the Nanqi Group.

Over the years, Zhang Yong had been cautious in his dealings. However, his downfall lay in the experimental center—some accounts had not been properly cleaned up. In a three-billion-yuan project, discrepancies of ten to twenty million are normal, but when fifty to sixty million are unaccounted for, it's problematic. When one to two billion are missing, even an emperor like Kangxi wouldn’t tolerate it!

So, just as Wu Haiyan was incarcerated, Zhang Yong's downfall followed.

Upon hearing this, Wu Haiyan initially felt a sense of relief—after all, the two villas, three luxury cars, and various valuable jewelry were all in her name. However, her idea was purely wishful thinking. The whereabouts of the huge sums of money couldn’t be simply written off.

After learning that her assets would also be frozen and reclaimed, she broke down. Following a night of tears, she approached the guards, requesting to report Zhang Yong's crimes in hopes of earning merit for a reduced sentence.

As one sordid detail after another spilled from her lips, Zhang Yong was finished.

"Heaven's justice is evident, retribution is inevitable..."

Li Fanyu closed the newspaper, and this phrase immediately came to mind.

He first came across this phrase in the comic book "The Complete Story of Yue Fei." At that time, he didn’t quite understand why retribution would be "unfailing." But now, it feels immensely satisfying—so incredibly satisfying.

Yes, it’s satisfying beyond words.

After dissolving the contract with Mitsubishi, the seven car manufacturers turned their attention to Zhengxin Power. The company’s demonstration of justice and responsibility during the axle fracture incident had garnered widespread praise. A history-making engine from a conscientious company—what product could be more suitable?

With seven large orders lined up, Li Fanyu was delighted, but the workers at Zhengxin Power were in despair.

Damn it! They had just gone to the boss to demand a fixed salary, and now this...

Facing the mountain of production tasks, the workers were at a loss.

Finally, Sun Guoyi approached Li Fanyu, blushing, to discuss the possibility of reverting to a piece-rate payment system for the month.

Li Fanyu slapped his forehead—he had forgotten about this.

He understood the workers' mindset at the time. Truthfully, switching to a fixed salary was a last resort. Now that the company was taking off, there was no reason to hold onto the workers' missteps.

So Li Fanyu personally went to the factory, gathered the workers, and held a brief meeting. He announced that for the first half of the month, they would be paid a fixed salary of 3,000 yuan, but for the second half, they would revert to the piece-rate system.

Hearing this, the workers were embarrassed; the boss was really kind. The factory hadn’t been producing for the first half of the month, and only started getting busy in the second half. Calculating this way, they would earn over 2,000 yuan more!

Recalling their previous private complaints and overt disputes, they wished they could find a hole to crawl into.

Seeing a group of grown men looking so sheepish, Li Fanyu laughed, "There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. We all work to support our families with our skills. I understand what happened before. We’re like a family here, and as your head, there’s no way I’d let you go home and get an earful from your wives."

The workers laughed and then thanked Li Fanyu profusely.

As big men, they couldn’t express much in words, but they showed their gratitude through their work. 

Don’t underestimate this.

For skilled workers, working wholeheartedly and just doing the job make a significant difference.

Take truck drivers, for instance. If they are truly committed to their boss, they can save half the costs on fines, repairs, tire replacements, and fuel over a year.

So, Li Fanyu saw that the originally impossible production schedule was divided into day and night shifts by the workers themselves, who also organized seemingly random processes.

Watching this scene, Sun Guoyi gave Li Fanyu a big thumbs up, "Boss, you handled this beautifully. Don’t worry about the schedule. If we don’t meet the delivery deadline, you can use my head as a soccer ball!"

Li Fanyu was taken aback.

He understood the meaning behind the words, but looking at Sun Guoyi’s square head, he could only chuckle awkwardly.

Uncle... your big square head wouldn’t even roll if it were used as a ball...

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