"As a witness representing the Sanlin United Bank at this hearing, do you have anything to say about the sixty-nine accusations?"
The magnificent space inside Parliament Hill was filled with a tense atmosphere. However, because of the confrontation of words and evidence, it was not cold. It was the complete opposite of the coldness of the slowly falling snow outside the building.
"There is no point in arguing against the accusation that was forcefully given. I represent the Sanlin United Bank to express my anger and disappointment at today's hearing."
At the banquet, Li Xiaotong was dressed in a black suit. Just like three years ago, he still exuded a cold aura of plum blossoms in the snow. The only difference between him and three years ago was that there were a few more fine lines between his eyebrows.
The fine lines were not because of age, but because of fatigue.
When the Federation government under the leadership of Pabre started the war with the seven families, the difference was the traditional domain of the Li family.
The Financial Accounting Act, the Open Fund Act, and the Related Equity Exchange Act. Under the strong push of the Parble government, many bills were passed in the Parliament Hill. Then, the government used these bills to launch a fierce attack on the Li family. As the Li family's representative company in front of the Federation, the Sanlin United Bank, which spanned across the galaxy, suffered the fiercest attack.
"Just because you don't argue doesn't mean that today's questioning is over."
The chairman of the Financial Committee of the Federation Parliament, Senator Ning Zekai, looked coldly at Li Xiaotong and said, "For the past hundreds or even thousands of years, as the only shareholder of the Sanlin United Bank, your family has deceived the relevant regulatory authorities and used mutual funds to change their names to avoid all anti-trust investigations. You are truly shameless and bold to the extreme!
"The Charter's careful protection of citizens' privacy is based on the rights of the vulnerable, but it is definitely not a fig leaf for you financial oligarchs!
"In the past, you could use the privacy regulations in the Charter Act to refuse government supervision and investigation, but now, according to the Patriot Act, you can no longer use this protection.
"If by the 18th of January of the 76th year of the Constitutional Calendar, the Sanlin United Bank still fails to provide the relevant equity distribution report, the Parliament will agree to the request of the Federation Government to send the Federation's Audit Office to the headquarters of the Sanlin United Bank."
Hearing this warning or threat, the quiet Parliament Hill suddenly became lively. Members who supported the Li family slammed the table angrily, expressing their indignation at the abuse of power by the government. Members who supported President Pabre waved their arms excitedly, expressing their support.
"The Patriot Act?"
Li Xiaotong raised his head with a gloomy expression. He looked at the senator above and replied in a deep voice, "If my memory is correct, Mr. Bob, the senior editor of the Capital Special District Daily News, has already submitted a petition to the Supreme Court of the Federation several months ago, requesting the court to declare the bill unconstitutional."
"Editor Bob is currently being detained by the Federation government. I would like to ask Mr. Senator, when will he be released? If he can't be released, the Supreme Court will not be able to proceed with the unconstitutional lawsuit, then no one knows whether the Patriot Act will stand. "
Li Xiaotong stared at the wrinkles on Senator Ning's face and said mockingly, "The Federation government and the Parliament are using a bill that is highly likely to be unconstitutional to investigate the Sanlin United Bank, which has supported the Federation's financial system for thousands of years. Don't you think this is ridiculous?"
Without waiting for an answer, he turned to all the senators, raised the document in his hand, and asked sternly, "The 69th accusation states that the Sanlin United Bank provided a large amount of financial assistance to the 4th Military Region without the approval of the government, which is a serious violation of relevant regulations. What is the meaning of this?"
"For the sake of the soldiers fighting in the front line, the Sanlin United Bank donated a large amount of money to support the troops to replace the new equipment. What's the problem?"
Li Xiaotong threw away the accusation in his hand angrily. The thick high-quality fiber paper fluttered like exaggerated snowflakes on the Parliament Hill.
The Parliament Hill was in chaos again. The senators who had just learned the details of the 69th accusation whispered to each other, shocked and speechless. Of course, they knew that the Li family was actually supporting the remaining forces of the Zhong family in the West Woods. However, during wartime, the Li family was in the name of donating to the military. Who could say anything?
A middle-aged male senator who supported the Li family took off his shoe angrily and threw it at the podium. He cursed, "Donating to the military is a crime! What kind of bullsh * t logic is this? The Federation government provided a large amount of war loans to the Sanlin United Bank. Ning Zekai, are you going to accuse the Sanlin United Bank of bribing the Federation government? "
Because the distance was too far, the senator's shoe didn't reach the podium. It fell halfway and almost hit the head of a female recorder. The scene was chaotic.
On the podium, Ning Zekai's expression didn't change at all. He whispered a few words to the chairman of the Ethics Committee next to him and then gave the speaker seat to him.
The old voice of the chairman of the Ethics Committee sounded from the loudspeaker. It was just like the white hair on his head, pale and boring.
"There's an emergency. Because it involves the Empire and is of great importance, please allow me to take up the time of this hearing."
"This is the latest accusation against Mr. Li Xiaotong. I would like to ask you a few questions. First, what's the relationship between you and the spy of the Empire, He Youyou?"
Li Xiaotong frowned and looked at the podium. If it wasn't for the words "spy of the Empire", he wouldn't have remembered who He Youyou was. He said, "I don't know him."
"I knew you would answer this way."
The chairman of the Ethics Committee looked at him and sighed. "But the wife and colleagues of the spy don't seem to think so."
A photo appeared on the giant screen of the Parliament Hill.
…
…
Photo, pearl necklace, confession. Li Xiaotong listened silently. His eyebrows were furrowed tighter and tighter. His face was getting worse and worse. All the evidence pointed to him being related to the spy of the Empire, and that spy was the key person in the explosion of the Ancient Bell.
Under the current situation, this was a crime that no one could bear, even if he was the seventh young master of the Li family.
The hall fell into a dead silence. No one spoke for a long time. All the representatives knew that the federal government was accusing Li Xiaotong of colluding with the spies of the Imperium. It was obvious that the federal government was pointing at the Li family behind him. Such a terrible and irredeemable accusation indicated that this was a decisive battle with no way out.
Even the members who supported the Li family fell into silence. The middle-aged male member who couldn't control his anger took back the shoes that the staff passed back. He silently put them back on his left foot and then tied his shoelaces for five or six minutes.
What broke the silence was the ear-piercing sound of the phone ringing.
The hearing on the Parliament Hill requested that all communication devices be turned off. However, Li Xiaotong didn't answer it. The ringing sound came from him.
After answering the phone, he listened for a moment and then hung up. His face suddenly became extremely gloomy. It was so gloomy that it seemed like it was going to rain.
Under the gaze of countless pairs of angry and complicated eyes, Li Xiaotong turned around and walked out of the Parliament Hill without hesitation.
Member Ning Zekai gloomily stared at the back of the disappearing figure of the Parliament Hill. He scolded in a low voice, "He has no respect for the Parliament. What a bastard!"
Sitting at the top of the rostrum, Vice President Xi An had been dozing off. Whether it was the hearing or Li Xiaotong's arrogant departure, he didn't seem to see it at all.
Since Tai Zhiyuan decided to hand over the crystal mine consortium to all the people of the Federation, the back of the Parliament Hill had been strangely silent in this bleak weather. As a close political partner of Lady Tai, he naturally remained silent.
…
…
Li Xiaotong walked down the long stone steps of Parliament Hill in the midst of the fluttering snowflakes. The gloomy expression on his face did not ease at all. Just as he was about to enter the car, several government officials in black formal suits blocked his way.
"Li Xiaotong, citizen number … You are suspected of He Youyou's spy case. You must come back with us for investigation. We are the Joint Investigation Department."
After reading this sentence, the three officials indifferently stepped forward and surrounded him. Their steps were simple but extremely powerful, giving people an irresistible feeling.
"You actually sent three elites of the small-eyed army to arrest me."
Li Xiaotong looked at the officials expressionlessly and said, "I don't know if I should be flattered or angry. If it were any other time, I wouldn't mind going with you, because the evidence you forged is really good. But not today."
"We are enforcing the law. Your wishes don't matter."
The officials shook their heads and then raised their hands to shake off the snow in their hair. The three elites of the small-eyed army who didn't wear military uniforms had already violently twisted Li Xiaotong's arms and were about to put handcuffs on him.
Li Xiaotong didn't shake his head, but nodded.
A middle-aged man in an ordinary uniform stood quietly beside the car, ready to open the door for Li Xiaotong. No matter what happened, his face was expressionless, and he didn't move at all. He didn't look dangerous at all, just like a well-trained driver.
Until Li Xiaotong nodded, the middle-aged man knew that it was okay for him to do it, so he did it.
His name was Brother Zeng, and he was one of the few fierce people in the world who could make Xu Le feel afraid.
When he stood quietly in the corner, he was like a retro long gun that was bound by countless layers of coarse cloth. There was no luster or sharpness, and it was extremely ordinary.
When he moved, the coarse cloth wrapped around the gun was broken into pieces, just like the uniform on his body that had turned into butterflies.
The three powerful elites of the small-eyed army, who didn't know what had happened, were blown away by a huge force, and fell into the snow in the distance with blood spurting out.
Brother Zeng's sleeve was also broken, revealing a small but absolutely powerful pistol on his wrist, which was aimed at the official's eyebrows.
He didn't observe the horrified expression on the official's face at all. He calmly opened the door and escorted Li Xiaotong to the car, and then sat in the driver's seat.
The tires screeched violently, and the car disappeared in the wind and snow like smoke, disappearing in front of people's eyes.
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