Official statement: Tongwei is dead! You chose Ruijin, didn't you?

All eyes in the room instantly focused on the old man who had just spoken.

The old man's surname was Hu. Before retiring, he was the director of the archives department of the Organization Department. He had a bad temper and was nicknamed "Hu the Cannon".

Today, Zhou Zhengming "invited" him back, and he kept a straight face and didn't say a word, but he finally couldn't hold back anymore.

Old Hu stood up, walked to the rows of green metal cabinets, and skillfully pulled out several drawers.

He pulled out several dusty brown paper bags and slammed them heavily onto the conference table with a "thud".

Dust swirled under the incandescent light.

"Look at this!"

Old Hu's withered fingers pointed to the first file.

"Back then, I competed with Liang's nephew for a spot in the provincial high court. I ranked first in both the written and oral exams, but in the end, I was relegated to the county judicial office with the excuse of 'insufficient grassroots experience,' and I never recovered!"

"And this one!" He flipped open the second document. "It contains an article criticizing the children of cadres who were recruited through improper means, only to be sent directly to a labor camp after graduation and die in their thirties, depressed and miserable!"

"And look at this little girl!"

Old Hu was trembling with anger. "She was beautiful, but she rejected a girlfriend that a certain leader was trying to introduce to his mentally challenged son. As a result, she was stuck in a job assignment situation for two years after graduation, and in the end, she slunk back to her hometown to become a primary school teacher!"

Lao Qi, the executive deputy minister of the Organization Department, was listening nearby and broke out in a cold sweat; his back was soaked with sweat.

"Old Hu!"

Old Qi quickly interrupted, putting on a stern face and adopting the airs of a leader.

"These are all historical issues, and the decisions made by the organization at the time were made after comprehensive consideration. Please don't let personal emotions get in the way!"

Old Hu glanced at Old Qi and slammed his cane down hard on the terrazzo floor:

"I'm practically half-buried, why would I be afraid to say anything out of line? Old Qi, stop spouting official jargon!"

I personally packed each and every one of these files back then! I didn't dare say it back then because I was afraid of dying!

"If I don't speak up now, am I supposed to take these sordid things to the crematorium and burn them to ashes to be used as fertilizer for you?!"

Old Qi's face turned pale and then red after being rebuked. Just as he was about to retaliate, he felt a cold gaze lock onto him.

Zhou Zhengming remained seated in his chair, without even changing his posture, and simply raised his hand, gently pointing in the direction of Lao Qi with his index finger.

"Vice Minister Qi, the veteran comrades are helping us review history, why are you interrupting?"

Zhou Zhengming said coldly, "If you find this room too dusty and choking, then go outside and stand there."

Old Qi shuddered, quickly put on a forced smile, and shrank back into the corner like a quail, not daring to utter another word.

"Old Hu, please continue," Zhou Zhengming said, turning his head in a gentle tone.

Old Hu snorted coldly, pointing to the yellowed pages:

"Look at these directives. Back then, when they persecuted people, it was never one person making a direct decision. Instead, several departments would pass the buck back and forth. One department would write 'Please consider the matter carefully,' another would write 'Act according to the relevant guidelines,' and so on. After going around in circles..."

Finally, it all came down to paper as a watertight "organizational comprehensive assessment and decision." What is this called? This is called collective wrongdoing, where the law does not punish the masses!

"That's a very good summary."

Zhou Zhengming laughed, "So, this time we've come to Handong not only to investigate the people who defecated, but also to drag out every single one of those who helped hand us toilet paper and wipe our bottoms back then!"

……

Meanwhile, in the special needs ward of the provincial hospital.

Gao Yuliang lay half-reclined on the hospital bed, his body still wrapped in thick polymer plaster.

Wu Huifen sat on the edge of the bed, softly reading today's "Handong Daily" to him.

The official tone remained as steady and measured as ever.

The front page headline was about the arrival of the new Party Secretary Lu Chengzhou, who emphasized the overall stability and development, but made no mention of the major cases currently at the heart of the storm in Handong.

"Do you really think they can find anything in those old papers?"

Wu Huifen put down the newspaper, her brows furrowed slightly, showing some doubt.

"It definitely can."

Gao Yuliang closed his eyes and said with certainty, "In Handong, financial accounts can be falsified, projects can be falsified, but personnel accounts are the hardest to falsify. Who got promoted, who got demoted, who was forced to endure hardship for half their life—these are all bloody records, written in black and white, and cannot be hidden."

The moment the words left his mouth, the encrypted private phone line by the bed rang.

Wu Huifen answered the phone and held it to Gao Yuliang's ear.

"Secretary Gao, let me tell you a freshly made joke."

On the other end of the phone, Zhou Zhengming's voice was somewhat cheerful as he succinctly recounted the testimonies of Lao Hu and Sister Ma from the archives.

After listening, Gao Yuliang remained silent for a long time before slowly opening his eyes, his tone carrying a complex emotion: "Old Hu... he's still alive?"

"Alive and full of energy, he's more energetic than any of you current leaders, and he speaks with great force when he argues with people," Zhou Zhengming said with a smile.

Gao Yuliang smiled too.

Back then, the Organization Department had two notoriously tough characters, one surnamed Hu and the other surnamed Ma.

Old Hu has a foul mouth, but Aunt Ma has a good memory.

Unexpectedly, the two people who were once suppressed by the Liang family have become the first shovel to pry open the history of Handong.

"However, Team Leader Zhou, their words alone are not enough."

Gao Yuliang's smile faded, and he got to the point, "They are merely the custodians of the files. You need to find the person who actually made the final decision at Han University back then. That's the key to sealing the Liang family's fate."

"name."

Zhou Zhengming didn't waste any words and went straight to the point.

Kong Lingpei.

A glint flashed in Gao Yuliang's eyes as he uttered a name, "The former deputy secretary in charge of student affairs at Handong University. I know this guy too well. He's never done anything of substance in his life, and his academic knowledge is mediocre. But when it comes to figuring out what his superiors want and flattering them, he's a master."

Gao Yuliang paused for a moment, then dropped a bombshell: "After he retired, he was invited by Liang Wentao, the second son of the Liang family, to become an academic advisor for the 'Handong Cultural Exchange Foundation,' with an annual salary of 600,000."

On the other end of the phone, Zhou Zhengming paused for two seconds, clearly surprised by the accuracy of Gao Yuliang's clue.

"An academic advisor?" Zhou Zhengming burst out laughing.

"Yes, academic advisor."

Gao Yuliang said sarcastically, "He doesn't know anything about art. He can't even tell the difference between Qi Baishi and Zhang Daqian. What he knows is how to be an obedient dog for the Liang family. Team Leader Zhou, Kong Lingpei is a complete spineless coward. To deal with him, don't scare him, don't use any tricks, just slap the evidence in his face, and he'll spill the beans, telling you all about how the Liang family ordered him around back then."

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Zhengming immediately ordered: "Locate Kong Lingpei and bring him back immediately!"

Two hours later, Kong Lingpei was "invited" away from his own 200-square-meter upscale apartment.

The old man was wearing an elegant silk nightgown and holding a pure copper watering can, pretentiously watering the exquisite orchids on his balcony.

Upon hearing the person standing outside the door announce the words "Central Supervision Group," his hand trembled, and the pure copper spray bottle slammed onto the instep with a loud bang.

When the conversation reached its point, Kong Lingpei still tried to salvage his dignity as a "veteran cadre".

He sat in the interrogation chair, holding the paper cup handed to him by a staff member, and blew on the steam as if to play along, then began to evade the question: "Gentlemen, I... I've been retired for many years. Now I'm old, my mind is very confused, and there are many things from the past that I really can't remember..."

Zhou Zhengming sat opposite him, not even holding a pen, just coldly watching his performance.

After Kong Lingpei finished speaking, Zhou Zhengming pulled a piece of paper from the folder and pushed it in front of him.

"A photocopy of the Party Committee meeting minutes when Qi Tongwei was assigned a job after graduation. It has your signature on it."

Kong Lingpei glanced at it, his face instantly paled, and his lips moved:

"This...this was a collective decision..."

Zhou Zhengming ignored him, pulled out a second document, and pushed it over.

"Your employment agreement with Liang Wentao's 'Handong Cultural Exchange Foundation' as an academic advisor."

Kong Lingpei's lips began to tremble uncontrollably, his hand holding the paper cup shook slightly, and water spilled onto his trouser leg.

Zhou Zhengming slowly pulled out the third document.

"Bank statements showing that the foundation has been transferring 600,000 yuan to you every year since its establishment."

At this, cold sweat poured down Kong Lingpei's forehead like rain, and his face turned ashen, like a dead man.

"Teacher Kong,"

Zhou Zhengming tapped the table with his finger; the sound wasn't loud, but it hit Kong Lingpei like a hammer blow. "You just said you're confused? But you've checked the bank account for the 600,000 yuan annual consulting fee on time every single day for all these years. Let's be direct. Back at Han University, did you listen to the organization or the Liang family?"

"This...this can't be said like that..." Kong Lingpei was still making a last-ditch effort.

"Then let me rephrase my question."

Zhou Zhengming leaned forward, his gaze sharp as a knife, piercing Kong Lingpei's eyes. "Who exactly told you to change the plan for Qi Tongwei to stay at the school?"

You don't have to say anything, but Old Hu from the archives has already said it, and so has Sister Ma.

Now, this is your last chance to speak in this room. Choose to be a tainted witness who confesses, or a stubborn resister of investigation.

Upon hearing the names "Old Hu" and "Sister Ma," Kong Lingpei's last line of defense completely crumbled. He knew that what happened back then could no longer be concealed.

He slumped in the chair as if all his bones had been drained, sitting there blankly for a full five minutes.

Finally, he spoke, his voice hoarse, as if deflated: "It was...it was Secretary Liang's secretary who called. He said...that this student is politically opportunistic and has ulterior motives, and absolutely cannot stay in the provincial capital; he must be sent down to the countryside. As for Old Chen Yanshi's letter...it was added later, specifically to go through the formalities..."

"Why did you agree?" Zhou Zhengming pressed on relentlessly.

Kong Lingpei gave a bitter laugh, his face crinkling with wrinkles, conveying an indescribable sorrow and absurdity: "Team Leader Zhou, don't judge us by today's standards. Back then, the Liang family held absolute power in Handong! Who dared to utter a word against them?"

"So, you went to work at the foundation as some kind of bullshit academic advisor, getting an annual salary of 600,000, and that was hush money and a reward from the Liang family?"

Kong Lingpei completely gave up resisting and nodded dejectedly: "Young Master Liang said I'm a sensible person. The Liang family... can't let me help for nothing..."

That evening, the first top-secret investigation report on the historical issues of the personnel system in Handong was placed on the desk of Lu Chengzhou, the provincial party secretary.

The report was short, only three thin pages.

But attached to the list are twenty-seven irrefutable cases of irregular allocation.

Each and every one of them pointed precisely to the vast, secretive, and all-pervasive power network centered around Liang Qunfeng.

Lu Chengzhou sat behind his desk, reading the report expressionlessly. He then picked up a red and blue pencil and heavily wrote four words at the end:

"Keep digging deeper."

The message was delivered to Gao Yuliang late at night.

He gazed out at the deep night outside the window and gently exhaled a breath of stale air that had been trapped in his chest for many years.

"When Qi Tongwei knelt down on the playground of Han University back then, everyone laughed at him for being spineless, for abandoning his dignity for power, and for kneeling so unsightly."

Gao Yuliang paused, his voice icy, as if carrying a chilling wind from Lone Eagle Ridge:

"Now, it's time to let everyone in Handong see who it was that polished that floor so brightly back then, leaving him with no choice but to kneel down."