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

She knew her mother too well. This wasn't just seventeen phone calls; it was like sending seventeen "death warrants" to her old colleagues in the political and legal circles of Handong overnight!

Sure enough, the next morning, the usual relaxed atmosphere of playing with walnuts, chatting about health, and discussing current affairs at the Provincial High Court's Retired Cadre Activity Center was completely gone.

Around the tea table, several elderly judges sat upright, chatting about whether raw or ripe Pu'er tea was better, but their ears were perked up like radar, constantly watching for any movement outside the door.

Wu Xinyi's barrage of calls last night caused quite a stir in the small circle of retired cadres.

Everyone carries a scale in their heart, appearing calm and collected on the surface, but secretly they are panicking, fearing that some evil wind might blow over them.

Zhang Jianmin had just stepped into the activity room and hadn't even had a chance to put down his thermos when a former colleague half-jokingly probed:

"Hey, Old Zhang, you're here? I heard Judge Wu called you last night. Everyone's heard about it. What's up? Are they asking you to come out of retirement and get someone out of trouble?"

Zhang Jianmin's hand holding the enamel teacup trembled violently, almost spilling the goji berry water onto his crotch.

He feigned composure, adopting a stern, bureaucratic tone: "What nonsense are you spouting! It was just some casual chat between old colleagues, nothing important. You all just want to stir up trouble, so stop making wild guesses!"

Before he could finish speaking, the main door of the activity room creaked open.

Two supervisory team members, dressed in dark jackets and with expressionless faces, strode in and immediately displayed their supervisory credentials.

The entire room fell silent instantly.

The elderly comrades, who had just been chatting together, suddenly moved in unison:

Some people were blowing vigorously at the tea leaves in their cups, while others were picking up yesterday's newspaper and pretending to be engrossed in reading it.

Some even close their eyes and start rubbing their temples to fake high blood pressure.

For a moment, everyone deliberately avoided eye contact, afraid of making eye contact with the supervisors.

"Comrade Zhang Jianmin, please cooperate with us to verify a peripheral clue related to the case."

The staff member leading the group spoke softly, but his voice boomed like thunder in the quiet activity room.

Zhang Jianmin's heart tightened suddenly, and he slammed the teacup down on the table with a loud "clang".

He still tried to maintain the last shred of dignity of a retired cadre, stubbornly arguing, "I've been retired for many years, enjoying my grandchildren and no longer concerned with worldly affairs. What case could I possibly be involved in? Have you come to the wrong person?"

"You've found the right person. The information we've verified is related to the unfiled case files kept at Lu Yike's home."

The staff were strictly adhering to their duties, showing no leniency whatsoever. "Yesterday, Wu Xinyi gave you a handwritten draft of the financial clues. Please explain the situation truthfully and come with us."

Zhang Jianmin's face instantly changed from rosy to liver-colored.

He subconsciously glanced at the room full of his former colleagues, trying to find some support.

However, the group that had just been calling each other brothers and referring to each other as "Old Zhang" all lowered their heads now, as if they were collectively deaf, and no one was willing to speak.

A chill ran through Zhang Jianmin's heart.

What does it mean when people leave and the tea cools down?

This is called smashing the teacup before the storm even arrives!

In the real world of officialdom, once something comes up with an investigation, everyone distances themselves faster than Usain Bolt can run a 100-meter dash.

……

The Provincial Party Committee Guesthouse served as the temporary command center for the supervisory team.

Zhou Zhengming presented Qin Yuanzhou with the transcript of the feedback from the activity center, along with a long list of communications.

"Team Leader Qin, Wu Xinyi was quite busy last night. She contacted seventeen retired and current cadres in the political and legal system, spanning multiple departments including the Provincial High Court, the Provincial Procuratorate, and the Public Security Bureau."

Zhou Zhengming smiled mockingly, "Who is willing to step forward to mediate for Lu Yike, and who is deliberately avoiding it? The clues are obvious."

Qin Yuanzhou flipped through the list, his brows furrowed in seriousness, yet his eyes held a profound insight into the whole situation. He couldn't help but sneer, "Wu Xinyi's original intention was to protect her daughter, but in reality, she became a 'self-destructing truck.' She was afraid our investigation would be too much work, so she proactively packaged up her entire network of retired cadres' connections in the Handong political and legal circles and handed it to us."

"you do not say."

Zhou Zhengming chimed in, "This contact record is practically a natural relationship map. She exposed all the personal connections of the older generation of the judicial system in Handong in just one night. If Gao Yuliang knew about this, he'd probably be laughing out loud in his hospital bed."

"You need to carefully assess the situation regarding Lu Yike."

Qin Yuanzhou put down the paper list and objectively analyzed the crux of the matter. "She herself did not engage in any corrupt or self-serving behavior. The core issue was that she prioritized camaraderie during the investigation, blurred procedural boundaries, and tacitly allowed Hou Liangping to illegally access clues and fail to report irregularities in the investigation process in a timely manner. What truly pushed her into the abyss of risk was precisely her mother Wu Xinyi's actions of seeking favors everywhere and attempting to use her privileges to resist the investigation."

"What do you mean?"

"At this stage, it is not appropriate to take coercive measures such as detention against Lu Yike. We should continue to arrange regular talks."

Qin Yuanzhou tapped his fingers on the table. "Boiling the frog slowly, let her give a complete confession of the entire process of the internal investigation within the procuratorial system back then."

Zhou Zhengming pressed further: "Then what should we do with Wu Xinyi? She's seriously interfering with the investigation."

"We will give a warning talk first, and will not file a case for further investigation for the time being."

Qin Yuanzhou, considering the overall stability, displayed the political acumen of someone in a position of power.

"Currently, the four leads—Sha, Liang, Chen, and Li—are being pursued simultaneously. If we were to completely dismantle the old judicial network in Handong at once, it could easily trigger widespread panic among political and legal cadres throughout the province, disrupting the overall investigation process. Rectification requires a gradual approach; we cannot resort to a one-size-fits-all approach. We should first keep this sword hanging over their heads and let them throw themselves into disarray."

Zhou Zhengming understood immediately.

This is called "drawing the bow but not releasing it, yet poised to leap forth."

The rectification is not a one-time investigation; it must be carried out in stages and batches, taking care to avoid the situation getting out of control.