Title: Reborn in Handong, Starting with an Investment in Gao Yuliang

Zhong Heping gritted his teeth, his cheek muscles bulging high.

"Liang Qunfeng and Lu Kangcheng wield absolute political power within the provincial party committee."

"They provided Liang Cheng with the strongest political protection."

"Liang Cheng, on the other hand, used his terrifying business acumen to create economic miracles at an astounding pace."

"He used real money and tangible achievements to bind all those grassroots officials and city leaders to the Lu-Liang alliance!"

Zhong Heping slammed his fist into the wall next to him, making a dull thud.

"Political power protects commercial development, and commercial interests, in turn, support political forces."

"The two sides have a deep partnership, and their interests are completely intertwined."

A deep sense of powerlessness flashed in Zhong Heping's eyes.

"Faced with this terrifying monster of collusion between politics and business."

"The power I wield is no match for theirs!"

Zhong Xiaoai felt a tightness in her heart when she saw her brother's desperate look.

She had never seen her brother so out of control.

In her memory.

Chung Heping has always been the kind of person who can strategize and remain calm even when faced with a major crisis.

But now.

Liang Cheng actually managed to push the governor of Handong Province to this point.

"Brother, what should we do now?"

Zhong Xiaoai asked anxiously.

"We can't just watch him grow his business like this!"

Zhong Xiaoai knew that Zhong Heping had come to Handong to show for his achievements. If he had been in office for several months or longer and hadn't accomplished anything, his career would likely be in trouble.

Zhong Heping took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down.

He's the provincial governor; he can't afford to act recklessly.

He walked to the landline phone next to the coffee table and grabbed the receiver.

His fingers quickly dialed a string of numbers.

The phone was answered after ringing twice.

"Governor, you wanted to see me?"

Qiu Gaofei's respectful voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Gao Fei, go and do something right now."

Zhong Heping's voice regained its usual coldness and authority.

"Use every available channel."

"Give us all the information about the Crescent Lake Mineral Water Plant, from project approval, environmental monitoring, land transfer to funding sources."

"Investigate every single detail, no matter how small!"

Zhong Heping's tone was extremely stern, brooking no room for negotiation.

"I want this complete report on my desk by 8:00 AM tomorrow morning!"

Qiu Gaofei on the other end of the phone was clearly taken aback.

Qiu Gaofei was very puzzled.

"Isn't this just a regular business project? Is it really worth all this fuss?"

Zhong Heping sternly interrupted Qiu Gaofei's question.

"Just do as I tell you to investigate!"

"This project is crucial to the future political landscape of Handong Province; we absolutely cannot take it lightly!"

"Yes! I'll take care of it right away!"

Qiu Gaofei trembled with fright and quickly agreed.

Zhong Heping slammed the phone down.

He looked out the window at the deep darkness of the night, his eyes filled with an extremely cold glint.

……

the next day.

It was eight o'clock in the morning.

The Governor's Office, within the compound of the Handong Provincial Government.

The rising sun streamed into the office through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, but it couldn't dispel the oppressive atmosphere inside.

Zhong Heping sat behind a large desk.

A thick folder sat in front of him.

This was Qiu Gaofei's overnight investigation.

Copies of all the original files of the Yueyahu Mineral Water Plant were transferred from Lüzhou City and Jinshan County.

Zhong Heping's face turned ashen.

He opened the folder and stared intently at every single word on it.

They tried to find even the slightest violation from these complex documents.

Approval process.

Environmental monitoring report.

Land transfer fee payment receipt.

Tax registration.

Zhong Heping flipped through the pages one by one, turning them faster and faster with increasing force.

The paper made a shrill rustling sound.

no problem.

Everything is fine.

Every document was stamped with a bright red official seal.

Every approval process fully complies with national regulations, and even the environmental monitoring reports, which are most prone to errors, are handled flawlessly.

Liang Cheng did this project too cleanly.

A few minutes later.

The heavy wooden door to the office was gently pushed open.

Shen Mingliang, Zhou Haitao, and Chen Lidong, the four core advisors, strode in.

They immediately noticed the scattered documents on the desk and Zhong Heping's gloomy face, which seemed to drip water.

The four of them exchanged glances, each seeing a hint of confusion in the other's eyes.

They couldn't understand why the governor of Handong Province would suddenly care so much about a run-down mineral water factory.

"Governor, what's wrong?" Shen Mingliang asked cautiously.

Zhong Heping slammed the folder shut.

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the faces of his four trusted confidants, his voice terribly hoarse.

"You've been with me in Handong for several months now, haven't you?"

The four immediately nodded in agreement.

Zhong Heping sneered and slammed his hand on the table.

"Then tell me, what have we accomplished in these past few months?"

"What do our provincial government have to do with the recent major projects in Handong Province, whether it's the sensational Suda New City or the economic development in other cities?"

"Do we have any notable achievements to show for ourselves?"

Zhong Heping's questioning echoed in the office.

The four strategists blushed instantly and lowered their heads.

They were speechless.

This is indeed the case.

Since their arrival in Handong, they have seemed to be enjoying great success, but in reality, they have encountered setbacks at every turn.

Chung Heping stood up, walked around the desk, and stood in front of the four people.

"You've all been with me for many years, and you're all quite sharp."

"Tell us yourselves, why have we fallen into this passive situation where we're constantly on the defensive?"

Shen Mingliang took a deep breath and broke the silence first.

"Governor, this is not our fault. It's mainly because Lu Kangcheng has too much pressure from the Provincial Party Committee."

"He controls the overall direction, and we are controlled by him in every way, unable to make any moves."

Zhou Haitao quickly echoed this sentiment.

"That's right. And we don't even have any of our own people in Handong."

"All the key positions are filled with Lu Kangcheng and Liang Qunfeng's old subordinates, so our orders are greatly discounted when they reach the lower levels."

Chen Lidong also shared his opinion.

"Especially the cities and prefectures below and the provincial capital, Jingzhou."

"We don't even have a leader who can speak for us, which means we've been completely sidelined."

After listening to the four people's analysis, Zhong Heping slowly nodded.

He turned and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the vast provincial government compound.

"You're all right. We've suffered a huge loss in personnel matters."

"Although I went to great lengths to get Yi Xuexi into the Jingzhou Municipal Government, he was only a deputy."

"His authority over urban construction and the economy can indeed cause Chen Jianguo some trouble."

"But even if Jingzhou achieves some earth-shattering political success in the future, it will be thanks to Chen Jianguo, the municipal party secretary."

"It has little to do with Yi Xuexi, and it has absolutely nothing to do with our provincial government."

Zhong Heping turned around and stared intently at Qiu Gaofei, who was standing to the side.

"Gao Fei, you need to speed up your movements."

"The mayor of Jingzhou is retiring in two months; this position is a core, powerful post in Handong Province!"

"You must find me a few suitable candidates as soon as possible, ready to deal with the upcoming personnel struggles in the Standing Committee!"

Qiu Gaofei immediately straightened his back and loudly accepted the order.