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

Tingyu Pavilion, south of the city.

Despite its elegant name, the teahouse is actually a private courtyard that is not open to the public.

The private room isolated it from all outside noise.

Zhou Zhengming was not wearing a uniform, but a well-washed old dark gray jacket. He sat at the wooden table, making tea by himself.

The cup contained the most ordinary Longjing tea, brewed with plain water, without any expensive teaware, its simplicity clashing with the elegant style of this tea room.

He waited quietly for Sun Liancheng.

He understood perfectly well that Sun Liancheng was different from all the officials in Handong.

To deal with those who are greedy for profit, you can offer them bribes; to deal with those who are power-hungry, you can apply pressure; to deal with those who are afraid of death, you can use coercion.

But Sun Liancheng is different.

This man had long since given up on his official career, lost interest in fame and fortune, and was utterly heartbroken.

Power, position, future prospects, reputation—none of these mattered to him.

The usual tactics and methods of officialdom are completely ineffective against someone who only wants to hide in the stars and seek a peaceful life.

The only thing that could move him was never to overturn the verdict, exonerate him, or reinstate him, but to preserve what little stability he had left.

A moment later, the curtain was gently lifted.

Gu Changfeng stepped inside, followed by Sun Liancheng, who walked slowly alone.

Sun Liancheng was still wearing the same faded old jacket and plain cloth shoes, walking slowly and silently.

His face was calm and composed, showing no signs of alarm or fear. He lacked the awkwardness of those involved in the case and the formalities of old acquaintances in officialdom, as if he were simply stopping by for a tea break after get off work.

"Team Leader Zhou."

He gave a perfunctory greeting, sat down, and gazed at the bamboo shoots peeking out of the window. His eyes were vacant, still fixed on the vast starry sky that belonged only to him.

"Teacher Sun, I apologize for disturbing you." Zhou Zhengming gently pushed the freshly brewed tea in front of him.

Sun Liancheng glanced down at the scene, not touching his glass, and said in a flat tone, "Team Leader Zhou is busy with official duties. He certainly didn't come to chat about the operation of the body or the trajectory of the Milky Way. Just get to the point."

Zhou Zhengming chuckled and cut to the chase: "According to public opinion and official reports, Secretary Li Dakang handled the Dafeng Factory case appropriately, stabilizing people's livelihoods, protecting workers, and safeguarding the overall reform situation in Jingzhou, right?"

"That's what the official media wrote, and that's what the meeting decided." Sun Liancheng didn't even lift his eyelids, his tone completely flat.

"I am just an idle person and will not make any comments."

"When you were in charge of Guangming District, you were ultimately transferred due to being labeled as lazy and negligent in your duties. Did you feel resentful or unwilling to accept this?"

Sun Liancheng answered decisively and clearly: "No."

"Sulking is useless, arguing is useless, you can't fight city hall."

He finally looked up, his eyes filled with the weariness of someone who had seen through the ways of officialdom. "Before, I was buried in documents, meetings, and maintaining stability every day, always cautious and constrained. Now, I contemplate the stars and seek enlightenment every day. My mind is more open, and I'm much more insightful than when I was a district head."

Zhou Zhengming nodded to himself.

Sun Liancheng is not a useless coward who lies down; he is a clear-headed person who can protect himself in desperate situations.

Those who are impervious to reason and unmoved by honor or disgrace are the most difficult to deal with.

"But Teacher Sun, the peace and quiet you've found is never secure," Zhou Zhengming's tone suddenly turned serious. "It could be completely crushed at any moment."

These words finally made Sun Liancheng bring his gaze back from its vacant state.

He looked at Zhou Zhengming, his eyes calm, yet he already knew everything: "Team Leader Zhou, are you implying that the old debts regarding the Dafeng Factory land are unresolved, and I'm the only one who knows the truth? Sooner or later, Secretary Li will pin all the blame and all the old debts on me, this 'lazy and abandoned son,' so that I can't prove anything, is that right?"

Zhou Zhengming was slightly taken aback.

He had prepared a series of increasingly provocative arguments, but he never expected that Sun Liancheng had already seen through all the outcomes and all the schemes.

"Since you've seen through it all, why do you still remain so calm?"

"What can be done about this anxiety?"

Sun Liancheng asked calmly, his tone tinged with utter helplessness, "Back then, Sha Ruijin was in charge of Handong, and Li Dakang was a provincial role model and a reform pioneer, extremely influential. What could I, a district head with no background or connections, possibly use to compete?"

"The Dafeng Factory site is a hot potato; whoever takes it will be the scapegoat. The higher-ups want political achievements, stability, and land dividends, while the workers at the bottom want livelihoods, equity, and answers. Caught between pressure from above and below, someone has to take the blame."

Sun Liancheng picked up the slightly cool tea, took a small sip, and spoke with a clear and alert mind:

"I chose the dumbest, yet smartest, path—to admit defeat, lie down, and shut up. I won't argue, make a scene, debate, or overturn the verdict. I'll obediently accept the label of lazy governance and go to the Children's Palace to look at the stars."

"If I had uttered the slightest complaint or defense, I would be sitting in a detention center behind bars today, not gazing at the stars in the Youth Palace. I am only spared because I am law-abiding, harmless, and have done nothing to harm him. This is my only way to protect myself."

Zhou Zhengming understood completely.

People laugh at Sun Liancheng for being lazy, inactive, and unambitious. In reality, he used the wisdom of feigning weakness to survive and concealing his strength to avoid disaster in the dead end of officialdom.

"You've figured out people's hearts and the situation perfectly."

Zhou Zhengming leaned forward, lowered his voice, and said solemnly, "But you miscalculated one thing—the situation in Handong has changed."

Sun Liancheng's gaze sharpened slightly as he listened quietly.

"Sha Ruijin has been suspended from his duties for investigation, and Hou Liangping has given a full confession. Now, the case in Handong is being handled by the Central Supervision Group, which does not consider political achievements or factional affiliations, but only facts and evidence."

Zhou Zhengming looked directly at him and gave a promise that best suited Sun Liancheng's feelings: "We're here today not to force you to take sides, not to force you to overturn your case, not to make you fight against anyone in the city. We just want to give you true and lasting peace. To let you watch the stars in peace until you retire, undisturbed, unaccounted for, and unspeakable."

Sun Liancheng remained silent for a long time.

He knew best that he held the key old cases in his hands, and as long as the old cases remained unresolved, he would always be a hidden danger to Li Dakang.

Lying down can only provide temporary relief, not lifelong peace.

Suppressing witnesses and settling scores later in officialdom has always been the norm.

After a long silence, he looked up and asked bluntly, "What can I get in return?"

Zhou Zhengming answered frankly and decisively: "You will not get an official position, you will not be exonerated, and you will not gain any reputation. You will not be able to get rid of the label of laziness in your administration, and you will not be able to clear your name of past grievances."

"The only thing you'll get is an internal endorsement from the supervisory team: your problems end here, and you'll be forgiven for what you did. All ties to the Dafeng Factory and Lingang old cases will be completely severed. For the rest of your life, no one will bring up old grievances to cause you trouble."

At this moment, a hint of relief finally flashed across Sun Liancheng's eyes.

Fame and fortune are all illusions.

For him now, peace and tranquility are the greatest blessing.

"Speak," he said softly, "What do you want to investigate?"

"Original land assessment report for the Dafeng Factory site".

Zhou Zhengming cut to the chase: "All the archived files are fabricated materials added later. Where are the real original reports?"

Sun Liancheng held the teacup, his fingertips gently stroking the rim, his tone indifferent:

"Team Leader Zhou should know that something that can shake the foundation of the Municipal Party Secretary cannot lie peacefully in the archives of the District Land and Resources Bureau."

Zhou Zhengming's gaze sharpened: "Three drafts?"

"That's right."

Sun Liancheng slowly recounted the events, his logic meticulous and clear: "The first copy was with the Shanshui Group, and it had already been destroyed before Gao Xiaoqin's incident; the second copy was in Ding Yizhen's possession, but it has long been lost."

"Only the last one is in my hands."

Zhou Zhengming's heart skipped a beat.

He had assumed Sun Liancheng was merely a witness with knowledge of the matter, but he never expected that Sun Liancheng held the only remaining core piece of evidence.

"Where is it?"

"It's not on me, nor in my house."

Sun Liancheng smiled faintly, with a hint of self-preservation and clarity, "I understood the day I was transferred that this thing, whether kept close to my body or at home, was a ticking time bomb. I found the safest place, a place where no one dared to touch it or investigate."

"Jingzhou Intermediate People's Court Archives, (2003) Jingfa Minchu No. 114, old case file of ordinary private lending."

"The case had nothing to do with officialdom, land, or restructuring; it had already been adjudicated and archived. I disassembled the original assessment report, disguised it as supplementary evidence for the case, pasted it into the case file, and personally sealed it and stamped it with the court's seal."

Zhou Zhengming was deeply shaken upon hearing this.

This move can be described as a brilliant strategy that turned a desperate situation into a life-saving one.

Old civil cases go unnoticed and unreviewed.

Court archives are strictly controlled due to their confidentiality. No matter how much power Li Dakang had, he dared not privately access or destroy files, thus crossing the bottom line of the judiciary and leaving a fatal political stain.

He endured hiding the scrolls for over a decade, just to leave himself one last way to survive.

"I never harm anyone, and I never seek death."

Sun Liancheng's tone remained calm as ever, "I'm just leaving myself and my family a life-saving trump card. In case I 'accidentally die' while stargazing one day, this thing can help me seek justice."

Zhou Zhengming stood up solemnly and clasped his hands in a respectful gesture: "Teacher Sun, on behalf of the supervision team, I promise to protect your well-being for the rest of your life."

Sun Liancheng slowly stood up, his expression still calm and desolate: "I have only one request."

"Speaking."

"From now on, don't contact me again."

"Let's not talk about officialdom, old cases, or political games. Let me quietly watch my stars and completely fade from everyone's sight."

After saying that, he didn't say anything more, lifted the curtain, and turned to leave.

His silhouette was serene and unrestrained, completely devoid of the mundane affairs of officialdom, leaving only the starry sky and the rest of his life.

……

The following morning, at the Jingzhou Municipal Party Committee building.

Li Dakang sat in his office as usual, reviewing documents with his back straight and his expression calm and solemn, no different from any other day.

There was a gentle knock on the office door, and Yi Xuexi, the secretary of the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection, pushed it open and entered. His brows furrowed with an undisguised seriousness, and his expression was strange.

"Secretary Dakang, an unusual situation has occurred in the political and legal system. According to disciplinary requirements, I must report it to you immediately."

"Speak." Li Dakang's gaze did not leave the paper, and his pen remained on the document.

"Yesterday afternoon, Judge Gu Changfeng of the Intermediate People's Court bypassed the collective approval process of the court's Party Group and directly issued an order to the archives to access an old case file of a common private loan."

Yi Xuexi deliberately lowered his voice, "According to the judicial review regulations, to retrieve old case files for review, there must either be a written application from the party concerned or a protest document issued by the procuratorate. He had neither of these procedures and retrieved the files privately, which is a clear violation of regulations and interference with file management. More importantly, after the case files were retrieved, Gu Changfeng did not stay in the court to check and review them, but took them directly to the provincial party committee guesthouse where the central supervision team was stationed."

boom--

Li Dakang's hand holding the pen suddenly paused, the hard pen tip piercing the paper document, drawing a long, dark, and glaring line.

Gu Changfeng.

He was a direct descendant of Gao Yuliang, a typical veteran of the Han University clique.

Just as Sha Ruijin was suspended from his post for investigation, Hou Liangping gave a full confession, and the supervisory team was deeply investigating the old land case in Jingzhou, a long-standing civil case with no social attention was brought directly to the supervisory team's residence.

No further analysis is needed; the answer is obvious.

A chill ran down his spine, but Li Dakang showed no sign of it on his face; in his heart, a storm was raging.

Back then, he suppressed all the conflicts at Dafeng Factory, without investigating or holding anyone accountable. He merely labeled Sun Liancheng as lazy and transferred him to the Children's Palace to live a leisurely retirement. He was convinced that a person who is heartbroken and without desires is the most docile and knows best how to keep quiet.

He believed he had made a brilliant plan, and with a single, seemingly insignificant move, he sealed off the biggest hidden danger in the old disputes over land in Lingang and Dafengchang.

But he overlooked the most crucial point:

A person whose heart is dead has no more ties; a person without desire is uncontrollable.

Sun Liancheng did not vie for power, seek revenge, or demand to clear his name. He seemed to have completely surrendered and lay down, but in reality, he had been patiently enduring for many years and secretly keeping a complete set of evidence to protect himself. When the situation turned around, he only needed to hand over a dossier, which would be enough to deliver a fatal blow to the officialdom of Jingzhou.

"I see."

Li Dakang slowly lowered his pen, his tone completely calm, suppressing all the tremors in his heart, maintaining his usual upright and strict demeanor, prioritizing the overall situation.

"The Discipline Inspection Commission does not need to intervene in this matter. It is an internal procedural issue within the judicial system, which should be handled and explained by the Party Group of the Intermediate People's Court. The on-site investigation by the supervisory team is a normal organizational task, and all units in the city should cooperate openly. The investigation should not disrupt the pace of the city's economic and urban construction work."

Yi Xuexi nodded slightly, knowing that Li Dakang did not want to discuss the matter further, and without saying anything more, turned and left the office.

The door closed, leaving only Li Dakang in the sealed office of the municipal party secretary. The air was heavy and oppressive, making it hard to breathe.

He walked slowly to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked down at the bustling streets of Jingzhou.

The city he had poured half his life into building now seemed to him like a huge whirlpool with countless hidden reefs, threatening to swallow him whole if he wasn't careful.

The supervisory team has obtained the key physical evidence, and the knife is now firmly held to his neck.

Sitting idly by and waiting for death has never been Li Dakang's style.

Throughout his life, he was assertive and always wanted to be the first to act, never passively waiting for the supervisory team to expose him and hold him accountable.

After a brief moment of deliberation, he picked up the red internal office phone on his desk, dialed the hotline for the head of the Municipal Party Committee's Publicity Department, and spoke with a resolute and firm tone, without the slightest hesitation.

"Immediately coordinate and prepare for a special conference on warning education for all city-wide leading cadres tomorrow."

"The theme of the meeting has been finalized: to thoroughly investigate and address the root causes of problems, and to conduct a comprehensive review of the historical issues related to land reform and old city renovation in Jingzhou over the years."

He wanted to take the initiative to conduct a self-examination and publicly confront the issue before the supervisory team could release the original assessment report and expose the long-standing wound of Dafeng Factory's double-selling.