In name only: I will break the chess game in Handong!

"I've already made it very clear, I didn't accept any bribes!"

After shouting this, Hou Liangping continued, "I'm warning you, release me right now!"

The section chief opposite him showed no emotional reaction to these words, only maintaining a standard smile.

"Director Hou, every cadre who comes here claims to be honest and clean, but how many of them are truly clean? If you don't want to cooperate, that's fine. The detention period is seventy-two hours. If you still don't confess after seventy-two hours, our Discipline Inspection Commission will provide evidence to temporarily detain you. If you want to negotiate with us, then so be it. Anyway, our Discipline Inspection Commission never has a Spring Festival."

Hou Liangping was completely dumbfounded.

Five or six hours had passed since Hou Liangping was taken away. At Beijing Capital International Airport, Zhong Xiaoai called Hou Liangping again and again, but no one answered.

It wasn't until nightfall that Zhong Xiaoai began to sense something was wrong, and she immediately called Ji Changming.

At Ji Changming's home, Ji Changming, who was playing with his grandson, was stunned for a moment after receiving a call from Zhong Xiaoai.

"Hey, Xiao Ai! What's up?"

Zhong Xiaoai got straight to the point.

"Old Ji, wasn't my Liangping supposed to fly to Beijing this afternoon? I haven't seen him yet. Do you know where he is?"

Ji Changming was somewhat bewildered.

"Didn't Comrade Liangping leave this morning after assigning tasks? He hasn't arrived in the capital yet?"

"Yes, they haven't arrived yet! We can't get through on the phone!"

Hearing Zhong Xiaoai's anxious tone, Ji Changming could only try to calm her down first.

"Okay, okay, I understand. Don't worry, Xiao Ai, I'll ask around for you to see if Comrade Liangping has boarded the plane."

After hanging up the phone, Ji Changming used his connections to investigate, but he couldn't find any record of Hou Liangping boarding the plane. This meant that Hou Liangping was still in Handong. Ji Changming then asked his friends in the police force and learned that Hou Liangping had been taken away by the Discipline Inspection Commission that afternoon.

Ji Changming's eyes twitched slightly; he wasn't very happy. After all, the Discipline Inspection Commission had taken away a bureau chief from his procuratorate without even giving him a heads-up, and he, the chief procurator, only found out now!

Despite his anger, Ji Changming still told Zhong Xiaoai the news. As for how Zhong Xiaoai dealt with it, that was none of his business. Preparing for the New Year peacefully was the best thing to do.

Zhong Xiaoai was furious upon receiving the message.

A phone call reached Tian Guofu.

At 8 p.m., Tian Guofu was not surprised when he received Zhong Xiaoai's call; it was all expected.

"Xiao Ai, what's wrong so late?"

"Secretary Tian, ​​I want to ask the Handong Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection why they arrested my husband, Hou Liangping. What wrong did he commit?"

The questioning tone that came out of the door annoyed Tian Guofu. Speaking nicely to you, Zhong Xiaoai, was an act of respect for your father and grandfather's generation. How dare you, a deputy director of the supervisory office at the deputy director level, question him, a member of the provincial standing committee? Tian Guofu suppressed his anger and explained with a smile.

"Comrade Xiao Ai, Comrade Hou Liangping was indeed taken away for investigation by our Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection at noon, but we did not take him away without reason."

We have received a report that Comrade Hou Liangping is suspected of accepting bribes, and the evidence is sufficient. This morning I reported this matter to the Provincial Party Committee, and Secretary Sha and Secretary Yuliang held a small meeting to discuss the handling plan.

Ultimately, Secretary Yu Liang suggested that Comrade Hou Liangping be placed under investigation first. I was acting in accordance with the instructions of the Provincial Party Committee. As for not notifying you, one reason was that I was too busy and forgot, and another reason was that you are Hou Liangping's family member, and I needed to avoid any appearance of impropriety.

Tian Guofu's words made it very clear that the decision to arrest Hou Liangping was made by Gao Yuliang and Sha Ruijin.

He's just someone who follows orders; don't bother him with this problem, he can't help you with anything.

Zhong Xiaoai naturally understood the meaning behind this.

After taking a deep breath, he said, "I understand, Secretary Tian."

After saying that, Zhong Xiaoai hung up the phone.

"Hmph! What kind of thing is this, actually treating me, Tian Guofu, like a loyal dog of the Zhong family?"

Tian Guofu's face was extremely gloomy.

There are no secrets that stay hidden forever.

As news of Hou Liangping being taken away by the Discipline Inspection Commission in Handong gradually spread, the factions that Hou Liangping had offended in the past united on New Year's Eve.

This is the essence of beating a dog when it's down.

The letters of complaint arrived at the Handong Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection like snowflakes. Most of them contained false information, but the truth or falsehood did not matter. Every complaint was detailed and convincing. Everyone was more united than ever before, determined to crush Hou Liangping with a single finger!

Zhong Xiaoai told her father the news the next day. She had been asking around the night before, but no one was willing to bail her out, so she had no choice but to ask her father for help.

The Zhong family's old house.

During the Chinese New Year, the whole family always gets together for a meal. When Zhong Xiaoai brought Hou Haoran to the old house, Director Zhong was already chatting with the old man of the Zhong family.

The smiles on the faces of Old Zhong and his father vanished the moment Zhong Xiaoai entered, especially when they looked at Hou Haoran standing next to her.

Where's your monkey?

Zhong's father spoke first, saying that although he didn't like him, Liangping still had to show up when the time came.

Upon hearing this, Zhong Xiaoai sighed heavily.

"Dad, something's happened to Liangping!"

When Zhong Xiaoai recounted Hou Liangping's ordeal in Handong, Zhong's father frowned deeply.

"You mean, the Han Dong side has more concrete evidence?"

Mr. Zhong cut straight to the heart of the matter, and Zhong Xiaoai nodded.

"That's what Tian Guofu from Handong said."

"Hmph! You're good for nothing but causing trouble! I told you long ago that Hou Liangping is not suitable for you. His vision is too narrow and his mind is too narrow. He is destined not to go far. But you just wouldn't listen. Although our Zhong family does not have a rule of forced marriage, tell me how many times we have cleaned up Hou Liangping's mess over the years?"

Accepting bribes? And leaving evidence, what are we supposed to do? If this news gets out, all those who hate him will swarm in. We can't help with this!

Zhong's father directly refused to help Hou Liangping. He was joking; the original intention of sending Hou Liangping to Handong was to let him fend for himself, and the Zhong family did not want to continue to spend their energy on him.

"If he's lucky, you can continue your relationship. If he's expelled from the Party and removed from his post and transferred to the judiciary, you should get a divorce, have Hao Hao change his surname, and cut off all contact with Hou Liangping from now on."

"dad!"

Zhong Xiaoai cried out in frustration.

"Your dad is right! He's hopeless; if he continues like this, he'll only drag our family down."

When Lao Zhong spoke, Zhong Xiao Ai immediately fell silent.

"Dad, this is the last time. If Liangping doesn't learn his lesson, I'll listen to you!"

In the end, Zhong Xiaoai decided to give it a try.

Upon hearing this, Mr. Zhong was furious.

"I really don't know what's so great about that Hou Liangping that he can make you so infatuated. Let's talk about this after the New Year!"