Official excuse: I've put you on patrol in Handong, and the whole province is in a panic.

Su Zhe said, "I only investigate the people the evidence points to."

Zhao Ruilong said, "Evidence is also given by people."

Su Zhe looked at him.

The reception room was quiet for a moment.

Outside the door, Xiao Yang knocked and came in, placing the second briefing next to Su Zhe.

"Team leader, Luzhou has confirmed on-site that the text message on Song Wei's phone has been recovered."

Zhao Ruilong's fingers had just touched the side of the cup when he withdrew them.

Su Zhe picked up the briefing.

Xiao Yang said, "The text message says, 'Transfer the old debts immediately, and don't stay by the lake tonight. The recipient number is being verified; it belongs to Jingzhou.'"

Su Zhe asked, "The owner of the phone?"

Xiao Yang glanced at Zhao Ruilong.

"Registered under the name of Huilong Group's administrative office, the actual user is still under investigation."

Zhao Ruilong said, "This is the company's official account number and does not represent my personal use."

Su Zhe put down the briefing.

"Can."

Zhao Ruilong was surprised that he answered so quickly, and instead glanced at him again.

Su Zhe said, "If Mr. Zhao is not using it himself, then please ask Huilong Group to provide the administrative number usage registration, call approval records, SMS sending device, and the list of staff on duty that night."

Zhao Ruilong said, "I'll go back and have someone cooperate."

Su Zhe said, "Notify them now."

The lawyer said, "Team Leader Su, this does not comply with the company's internal procedures."

Su Zhe asked, "Is transferring the accounting books involved in the case in accordance with company procedures?"

The lawyer didn't say anything more.

Zhao Ruilong took out his phone, but stopped before dialing.

"Should we fight here?"

Su Zhe said, "Speakerless."

Zhao Ruilong stared at Su Zhe, swiped his finger across the screen twice, and finally put his phone back in his pocket.

"I need to communicate with the company's legal department first."

Su Zhe looked at Yang Can.

"Record."

Zhao Ruilong finally stood up.

"Team Leader Su, you're not here to discuss business today, you're just waiting for me to make a mistake."

Su Zhe said, "The mistake was already made before you even arrived."

Zhao Ruilong straightened his cuffs.

"If Shanshui Manor remains sealed off, and Huilong Group runs into trouble, no one in Handong will be able to stay out of it."

Su Zhe said, "This sentence should also be recorded."

Zhao Ruilong put on sunglasses.

"Remember it however you like."

Su Zhe said, "President Zhao, please do not leave Jingzhou for the time being."

Zhao Ruilong walked to the door and stopped.

"Are you restricting my personal freedom?"

"Please cooperate with the investigation."

"I'm going to the capital city?"

Su Zhe said, "Entry and exit procedures and inter-provincial travel will be verified in accordance with the law."

Zhao Ruilong turned to look at him.

"You really think nobody can control you?"

Su Zhe said, "There are many people who can control me."

"Then what are you going to do?"

"Because the people in charge of me will also look at the evidence."

Zhao Ruilong pushed open the door and went out.

Changshan watched the door close and asked, "Team leader, are we just going to let him go like that?"

Su Zhe put the several briefings on the table together.

"No rush, he'll call again."

Xiao Yang asked, "Who should I call?"

Su Zhe said, "The person who can save him."

Chapter 90: Taken Down on the Spot

Before Zhao Ruilong's car had even left the street outside the residence, the communication verification result from Huilong Group's administrative number came back.

Yang Can entered the room carrying a tablet, speaking a beat faster than usual.

"Team leader, the administrative number was in the hands of Zhao Ruilong's assistant last night and this morning. The device's location data overlaps with Zhao Ruilong's vehicle trajectory."

Changshan asked, "Who sent the text message?"

"The assistant said that Zhao Ruilong himself took the phone for ten minutes last night, which coincides with the time Song Wei received the text message."

Xiao Yang continued, "The assistant has been detained by the gatekeeper and is being taken a statement. He said Zhao Ruilong asked him to hand over his phone, but didn't tell him what he sent."

Su Zhe put down his pen.

"What did Song Wei say?"

"They're still at the top, saying the ledgers are financial data and need to be sent back to the company for filing."

"Among the two boxes of ledgers in the car, are there any old ledgers from Crescent Lake?"

"Yes." Yang Can turned to the next page, "There are also details of the early investment returns for Lakeside Cultural Tourism, records of advance payments from Huilong Fund, and several handwritten receipts."

Changshan said, "That's enough to bring them back."

Su Zhe shook his head.

"Not stable enough."

Just as he finished speaking, Li Chengyang came in with a fax.

"Team leader, the tax investigation has yielded preliminary results. Interest from related-party lending by Huilong Group has been deposited into private accounts, and the equity income from Shanshui Group's Dafeng Factory has not been fully declared, with an exceptionally large amount involved."

Xiao Yang was stunned.

"So fast?"

Li Chengyang said, "We submitted all the documents last night. The tax authorities are only conducting a preliminary review and haven't determined the final amount yet."

Su Zhe took the fax, scanned the first two pages, and looked up to say, "Notify the gatekeeper to stop the car."

Changshan picked up the walkie-talkie.

"At the gate of the residence, stop Zhao Ruilong's vehicle and ask him to return to the meeting room. Be mindful of your manner. A lawyer will be present and the entire process will be recorded."

A response came quickly from the walkie-talkie.

"receive."

On the street outside the station, a Mercedes-Benz G-Class had just turned into the intersection when a police car blocked its way to the side.

The driver stepped on the brakes.

Zhao Ruilong sat in the back row, his face already looking rather pale.

"What's wrong now?"

Cheng Du turned around from the passenger seat.

"Mr. Zhao, I'll go down and take a look."

The gatekeeper walked to the car.

"Mr. Zhao, please return to your residence to cooperate with further investigation."

Zhao Ruilong rolled down the car window halfway.

"I just came out of there."

"What new material?"

"Please return to the meeting room, and Team Leader Su will explain to you."

Zhao Ruilong glanced at the police car in front of him, then at the vehicles behind him.

The lawyer said in a low voice, "Mr. Zhao, let's go back first. A conflict outside would be bad for us."

Zhao Ruilong rolled up the car window.

"go back."

When he sat back down in the meeting room, he was no longer smiling.

Su Zhe placed the tax investigation letter on the table.

"Mr. Zhao, the Shanshui Manor itself doesn't have any major problems."

Zhao Ruilong's eyelids twitched.

Su Zhe continued, "But Shanshui Group and Huilong Group have big problems."

Zhao Ruilong stared at him.

"What do you mean?"

Su Zhe looked at Xiao Yang.

"Please have two police officers come over and take Zhao Ruilong to the interrogation room."

Zhao Ruilong stood up abruptly.

"Su Zhe, get this straight, I'm here to cooperate with the investigation, not as a suspect!"

Su Zhe said, "Now it is."

The lawyer also stood up.

"Team Leader Su, please provide the legal basis."

Su Zhe laid out the materials one by one.

"First, in June of last year, Shanshui Group lent 60 million yuan to Cai Chenggong, the legal representative of Dafeng Factory, with an agreed monthly interest rate of 5%, amounting to 3 million yuan in interest per month. Three months later, Cai Chenggong was unable to repay the loan, and Shanshui Group sued to acquire all the shares of Dafeng Factory."

Zhao Ruilong's expression changed.

Su Zhe continued, "At that time, the demolition of the Dafeng Factory site was already clearly anticipated, and the assessed value was close to one billion yuan. Shanshui Group actually profited 940 million yuan, but this profit was not fully recorded in accordance with the law, and taxes were not fully declared."

The lawyer stated, "This falls under the categories of civil lending and equity disposal, and a full tax audit is required for tax assessment."

Su Zhe looked at him.

"So this is an investigation in accordance with the law, not a verdict."

Zhao Ruilong gritted his teeth and said, "Dafeng Factory is Gao Xiaoqin's business."

Su Zhe asked, "Why did Huilong Group's Hong Kong City account receive three consultation fees in the same month?"

Zhao Ruilong did not answer.

Su Zhe stated, "Secondly, Huilong Group has been lending money to external parties for many years. On paper, the loans are recorded as consulting, advisory, and margin deposits, but the actual interest flows into Zhao Ruilong and related private accounts. The initial estimated amount exceeds 10 billion yuan, and the amount of tax evasion is particularly large."

Zhao Ruilong pointed to the paper on the table.

"Are you trying to scare me with this preliminary tax assessment?"

Su Zhe said, "I'm not trying to scare you, I'm just informing you."

Xiao Yang lowered his head and took notes, his pen moving quickly across the paper.

Su Zhe opened another document.

"Third, Huilong Group is suspected of bid rigging and collusion in undertaking projects in various parts of Handong. The six companies that appeared to be participating in the bidding all have the same business registration address, financial personnel, source of bid security, and bid document template as Huilong Group."

Zhao Ruilong said, "In business competition, everyone uses each other's qualifications. Do you even understand business?"

Su Zhe said, "I understand criminal law."

No one spoke in the meeting room anymore.

A moment later, Zhao Ruilong smiled briefly.

"You have no evidence."

Su Zhe pushed the file folder over.

See for yourself.

Zhao Ruilong did not move.

Su Zhe said, "You don't have to look at it, but the material will still be included in the file."

The lawyer reached for the file folder, pulled out the first stack of photocopies, flipped through a couple of pages, and his expression changed.

Zhao Ruilong grabbed it.

The first page is Huilong Group's internal project plan, the second page is a list of shadow companies, the third page is a bidding price tier table, and further on are several loan fund return paths.

He flipped through the paper halfway through, and the paper in his hand became crooked.

"Where did this come from?"

Su Zhe said, "The source is legal, and the evidence collection procedures are complete."

Zhao Ruilong looked up.

"Who gave it to you? Gao Xiaoqin? Wang Chen? Or the group's finance department?"

Su Zhe did not answer.

Zhao Ruilong slammed the materials onto the table.

What does a photocopy prove?

Su Zhe said, "The original documents are simultaneously held by the tax authorities, banks, auditors, and the economic crime investigation department of the public security bureau. Destroying the copies here won't change the facts."

Zhao Ruilong's breathing became erratic.

He knew what these things meant.

Private lending with smuggled accounts and interest not being recorded in the books is an open secret in the industry. Everyone does it, and nobody really takes the tax risks seriously.

However, if someone scrutinizes every single detail, billions of dollars in taxes, several times the fines, criminal liability, a collapse of credit, and banks withdrawing loans could drag Huilong Group into the mud.

Even more serious is bid rigging.

The project arranged for a bid-dodging company before the bidding process even began. The bidding process, who would advance the bid bond, and who would subcontract the work after winning the bid were all clearly stated in the documents.

Zhao Ruilong finally understood that Su Zhe had been listening to him the whole time not out of politeness.

They were waiting for him to bring up Shanshui Manor, Huilong Group, Crescent Lake, and the Zhong family all at the same table.

The lawyer steadied his voice.

"Team Leader Su, even if there are economic issues, they should be handled by the tax authorities, market regulators, and public security economic investigation departments in accordance with the law. The central inspection team cannot directly detain the person in charge of the company."

Su Zhe stated, "The task force discovered suspected criminal leads and has transferred them to the Economic Crime Investigation Department of the Public Security Bureau. Personnel seconded from the Provincial Department are on standby at their post. Zhao Ruilong is suspected of tax evasion, bid rigging, transferring evidence, and obstructing the investigation. Criminal coercive measures have been taken against him in accordance with the law."

The door opened.

Two police officers walked in.

Zhao Ruilong took half a step back.

"Su Zhe, you dare touch me?"

Su Zhe said, "Please invite President Zhao to the meeting room."

Police officers stepped forward.

Zhao Ruilong shoved the other person's hand away.

"Don't touch me! My dad is Zhao Lichun!"

Changshan took a step forward.

"Zhao Ruilong, cooperate."

Zhao Ruilong pointed at Su Zhe.

"Do you know why I dared to come today? Elder Zhong has already taken notice of Handong, and the Supreme People's Procuratorate's special task force will arrive this afternoon. Arresting me is a slap in the face to the Zhao and Zhong families!"

Su Zhe stood up.

"The communication equipment will be sealed off, personal belongings will be registered, and lawyers will be able to meet with the client in accordance with the law."

Zhao Ruilong shouted, "Su Zhe! Don't think Old Sun will protect you forever!"

Su Zhe walked to the door and paused for a moment.

"No matter who's behind you, if I want to take you down, nobody can stop me."

When Zhao Ruilong was led out of the meeting room, Cheng Du was still sitting next to the gatekeeper writing an explanation.

He looked up and saw Zhao Ruilong sandwiched between two policemen, his pen slipping from his hand onto the table.

Zhao Ruilong also saw him.

"Chengdu, call Qi Tongwei!"

Changshan stood between the two.

"No one needs to fight; the communication equipment has already been sealed off."

Cheng Du's lips moved twice, but he didn't dare to reply.

Su Zhe returned to the small conference room, and Yang Can turned the computer screen around.

"Team leader, the news of Zhao Ruilong's arrest isn't known outside yet. Should we inform Team Leader Xu and Elder Sun internally first?"

Su Zhe said, "Report to Team Leader Xu first, then report to Elder Sun's office."

Xiao Yang asked, "What about external relations?"

Su Zhe looked at the materials on the table for a few seconds.

Issue an announcement.

Yang Can looked up.

"Now?"

"Now."

Chapter 91: Gao Yuliang Loses His Composure

Xiao Yang, holding the initial draft of the announcement, stood by the conference table without leaving immediately.

"Team leader, Zhao Ruilong's identity is special; isn't it too early to reveal it?"

Su Zhe took the manuscript and read it through.

"The work progress of the central inspection teams should be made public regularly."

Xiao Yang said, "But he is Comrade Zhao Lichun's son."

Su Zhe crossed out a wording in the manuscript.

"Precisely because he is the son of our former leader, we must clearly state the basis for our actions. We cannot allow outsiders to think that we are handling people behind closed doors, nor can we allow anyone to use our former leader's name to obstruct procedures."

Yang Can asked, "To what extent should the charges be written?"

"Suspected of massive tax evasion, bid rigging, and transferring or concealing evidence, criminal coercive measures have been taken against him by the public security authorities in accordance with the law."

Changshan said, "Should we mention Shanshui Manor and Crescent Lake?"

Su Zhe shook his head.

"We won't elaborate for now. The shorter the announcement, the more likely there will be outside reactions."

Xiao Yang understood.

"To stir up trouble?"

Su Zhe said, "Zhao Ruilong just brought up the Zhong family, which means the Zhao family and the Zhong family have already formed an alliance. Let them make the news public and choose for themselves: whether to cut ties or continue to pressure them."

Li Chengyang said, "If the Zhong family continues to press the issue, Hou Liangping's compensation and illegal search will look even worse."

Su Zhe handed the announcement back.

"hair."

Xiao Yang took it, and before turning around, asked again, "What about Sun Liancheng's side?"

"Notify him that the Supreme People's Procuratorate's special task force will be here this afternoon. They will receive him according to procedure. Tax payment certificate, copyright contract, property declaration, damage assessment—every single document is required. The entire process will be audio and video recorded; the task force will only act as witnesses."

Changshan chuckled.

"Zhao Ruilong made a threat one minute, and then went into the interrogation room himself the next. Gao Yuliang probably couldn't even sit still while listening to this."

Su Zhe glanced at him.

"Don't estimate, keep an eye on the provincial party committee compound."

The compound of the provincial government offices in Handong.

When Qi Tongwei entered Gao Yuliang's office, his steps were light and quick, and even the secretary glanced at him.

"Teacher, Young Master Zhao has already gone to see Su Zhe."

Gao Yuliang adjusted his glasses.

"You must remain calm in the face of important matters. Look at yourself, what kind of behavior is that?"

Qi Tongwei sat down with a smile.

"Teacher, this time I'm really confident."