Name: My father is Zhao Dehan, and I hope he will become a dragon!

Located on the third floor of the Provincial Party Committee's Retired Cadre Building, east of the Provincial Government.

The afternoon sun slanted in, and the air in the study was filled with the gentle fragrance of sandalwood.

Governor Liu is now quite relaxed and doesn't care much about things in the province. He only has a year left to serve anyway, so lying down is the most comfortable thing to do.

At this moment, Liu Guoquan was leaning back in a rattan chair, flipping through a copy of the "Handong Economic Quarterly Report". His gray hair was neatly combed, and his eyes were no longer so sharp, but rather looked somewhat gentle.

A soft knock sounded on the door.

"Come in."

He didn't even look up.

Zhao Dehan pushed open the door and entered, carrying a box of freshly picked pre-Qingming Longjing tea. He smiled humbly and said, "Governor Liu, I'm sorry to disturb your rest."

"Little Zhao!"

Liu Guoquan put down his newspaper, a smile appearing in his eyes. "Please sit down."

Zhao Dehan placed the tea on the table and sat down respectfully.

Liu Guoquan then spoke up, "Have you finished talking with Gao Yuliang?"

"Just came from his place."

Zhao Dehan smiled slightly and said calmly, "The list is settled."

"Oh?" Liu Guoquan raised an eyebrow. "He admitted it?"

"I admit it."

Zhao Dehan nodded, "Eighty-four people, not one missing."

Liu Guoquan was taken aback at first, then threw his head back and burst into laughter, the sound so hearty it made the window frame tremble slightly: "Hahaha! Good! Good indeed!"

Over the years, although Liu Guoquan was the second-in-command, he was actually under a lot of pressure from Gao Yuliang, the third-in-command. Liu Guoquan had to put a lot of thought into promoting and employing people, considering whether they were suitable and whether they were loyal to him.

However, Gao Yuliang doesn't really need it.

I only need to know one thing: whether they graduated from Handong University or whether they are my students.

As long as we can establish a teacher-student relationship, that's enough.

They are naturally a faction.

The advantages are there.

You've been promoted; it means Teacher Gao appreciates you as a student.

Don't worry if you haven't been promoted yet; Teacher Gao won't let you suffer any injustice.

After Zhao Lichun left, Gao Yuliang's Han University clique experienced rapid development, and at first glance, it was full of Gao Yuliang's former students and followers.

The Han University clique is almost ubiquitous throughout the entire Handong Province.

Li Dakang's secretariat had to avoid his sharp edge.

Liu Guoquan laughed and said, "In my thirty years in Handong, this is the first time I've seen Gao Yuliang suffer such a huge loss. His face must have turned green enough to grow vegetables!"

Zhao Dehan smiled, but his tone was humble: "It's all thanks to the foundation you laid. If you hadn't thoroughly investigated those cadres beforehand and straightened out the chain of evidence, I wouldn't have been able to make the necessary appointments on this list. It's all thanks to Governor Liu's foresight and ability to recognize and appoint talent!"

Don't flatter me.

Flattery will get you everywhere.

Feeling respected and needed, Liu Guoquan waved his hand, but his mouth was practically stretched to his ears in a wide grin.

Taking a sip of tea, Liu Guoquan's eyes revealed his approval. "You're a bold and quick-witted kid, and you know how to leverage your connections—Li Dakang, Sha Ruijin, and Hou Liangping, you've used them all perfectly. No matter how shrewd Gao Yuliang is, he can't withstand your 'encirclement from all sides'."

Zhao Dehan smiled and said, "We are doing this for Handong Province, and for the nation, to select talent!"

"you're right!"

Liu Guoquan paused, his expression suddenly turning serious: "However... Xiao Zhao, these eighty-four people are not the end, they are the test."

Zhao Dehan's expression hardened, and he sat up straight.

Liu Guoquan slowly got up, walked to the bookshelf, and took out a thick black notebook with the title "Handong Province Cadre Performance Files (2001–2007)" printed on the cover.

"This is the culmination of my years of hard work."

Liu Guoquan handed the notebook to Zhao Dehan: "It contains not only names, but also each person's strengths, weaknesses, connections, vulnerabilities, achievements, and stains. Who can stabilize the situation in Lüzhou, who can revitalize investment in Jingzhou, and which boss is behind each person... It's all in there."

Zhao Dehan took it with both hands, feeling its weight as if he were receiving not just pages of paper, but the entire political landscape of Handong.

Sure enough, Governor Liu did have some things on hand.

Upon closer inspection, this notebook doesn't seem to have been written a long time ago; it must have been written in the last few days.

It seems that Liu Guoquan's arrangement of this list is also a test.

First, if he could get Gao Yuliang to back down and accept these eighty-four people into the program, it would give him a chance to advance further.

Secondly, if he cannot make Gao Yuliang bow down, then Governor Liu's plan remains unchanged: he will retire peacefully, and this entire file will be burned.

I'm retiring next year.

Liu Guoquan looked out the window, his voice low and slow, "But there are some old subordinates and comrades-in-arms I can't bear to part with. They're not corrupt officials, they've just been suppressed by Gao Yuliang and haven't had a chance to rise to the top. Now, I'm handing them over to you."

He turned around, his eyes blazing: "If you can really help these eighty-four people get promoted and achieve real results—I, Liu Guoquan, will speak up for you in the central government even after I retire."

Zhao Dehan took a deep breath: "Governor Liu, I..."

Liu Guoquan waved his hand and said, "But if you only change the people but not the administration, and you create factions and cliques..."

He shook his head, his tone turning colder.

"Then let's pretend this notebook was never given to you."

Zhao Dehan stood up and said solemnly, "Old Liu, I came to Handong not to fight for power, but to get things done. Nanhu needs to be built, Guangming District needs to be revitalized, and the workers at Dafeng Factory need to eat—these are what I care about. As for factions? Handong doesn't need the New Handong Clique, it only needs people who can get things done."

Liu Guoquan stared at him for a long time, and finally showed a relieved smile: "Good! With you saying that, I can rest assured."

Zhao Dehan smiled as well.

Just listen to the opposite of what Liu Guoquan said afterward.

How is it possible to not form factions or create cliques?

From the moment you handed this file to Zhao Dehan, a new force rose in Handong—the Zhao Family Gang.

I've risen to power, and I won't use my Zhao family's people anymore. I'll use your Han University gang, the people in the secretariat. How is that possible?

Liu Guoquan patted Zhao Dehan on the shoulder, his tone more relaxed: "Some people on this list are from the secretariat. If necessary, you'll still need to communicate with Li Dakang!"

"I've considered that!" Zhao Dehan nodded. "I went to Lincheng with Secretary Sha. Zhou Guichun is doing a good job there, and Wu Min withstood three pressures from the Shanshui Group at the Environmental Protection Bureau... I'll also communicate more with Li Dakang about these people!"

Governor Liu nodded in satisfaction.

Zhao Dehan knows how to advance and retreat, and most importantly, he knows how to unite and win people over.

Zhao Dehan said, "By the way, Gao Yuliang still hopes that Qi Tongwei can be appointed as the vice governor!"

"Qi Tongwei?" Governor Liu sneered. "Let him continue being the Director of the Public Security Bureau. Vice Governor? Does he deserve the position?"

The two exchanged a smile, everything understood without a word.

Regardless of their character.

In short, we cannot allow Qi Tongwei to rise to power, and we absolutely cannot allow Gao Yuliang to have a henchman at the vice-ministerial level.