Nominal: Hou Liangping blocking the door? He was slapped away!

In the office of the provincial party secretary.

Sha Ruijin sat behind his desk, his tie half-loose, the water in his teacup long since gone cold. He was so upset about what happened at the meeting today that he didn't even eat dinner.

My phone rang; the caller ID showed "Father-in-law."

He hesitated before answering.

"Little Gold".

The voice on the other end of the phone was unhurried, carrying the composure characteristic of someone in a position of authority.

"Dad, aren't you resting yet?"

"Can't sleep. I heard you had an expanded meeting in Handong today?"

Sha Ruijin's back stiffened. Kyoto knew about it in just a few hours.

"Yes, it was the first provincial-level cadre conference after I took office."

"How's the result?"

The "ah" was drawn out for so long that Sha Ruijin could understand three layers of meaning—I understand, you've embarrassed yourself, and I'm waiting for your explanation.

"Father-in-law, the situation is somewhat complicated. Shen Zhong, this man—"

The person on the other end of the phone interrupted him. "The future of the military is being protected by several old men in Kyoto. Going head-on with them is just asking for trouble."

Sha Ruijin remained silent.

"How old are you this year?"

"Fifty-nine."

"Fifty-nine," the voice on the other end repeated. "He was publicly slammed on the table by a young man who wasn't even forty."

These words stung Sha Ruijin's face.

"The organization sent you to Handong not so you could start arguing. It's not that you're forbidden from fighting, but you need to be mindful of the consequences. Handong is a major economic province. You need to boost the economy, stabilize the leadership team, and achieve results. Only then will it be proper for this position to be handed over to Xiaofeng in the future. If you can't even manage Handong—"

The rest of the sentence was left unsaid, but Sha Ruijin heard it clearly.

The most ruthless thing is that it can't be finished.

"Dad, I understand."

"Good that you understand. Don't waste your time arguing with those military leaders; it's pointless. You're the provincial party secretary, so use your power wisely."

The phone hangs up.

Sha Ruijin sat there holding his phone for more than ten seconds, and the vein on his forehead throbbed twice.

It was handed to Xiaofeng.

The "Xiao Feng" that his father-in-law mentioned was his wife's younger brother. He was not yet fifty and was working on a temporary assignment in a ministry in Kyoto, so his resume was very impressive.

Sha Ruijin has spent most of his life paving the way for others, but in the end, he won't be able to hold onto his position in Handong for long.

He grabbed the teacup and smashed it against the wall. Shards of porcelain shattered on the floor, and tea dripped down the wallpaper, leaving a dark stain.

"On what grounds?"

These three words were squeezed out from between his teeth, not loudly, but each word carried a fierce tone.

He toiled for eight years in the west, rising from deputy mayor to deputy secretary of the provincial party committee. Handong was the last and most crucial stop in his career.

But everyone was telling him—you're just a transitional phase.

Why? Just because his surname is Sha?

Sha Ruijin stood amidst the broken porcelain shards, his chest heaving for a while before he slowly calmed down.

I sat back down at the table, my gaze falling on the brown paper bag on the corner of the table.

The secretary brought it in this afternoon. It was unsigned and had no source; it came through the provincial party committee's internal document channel.

He had already read it once that afternoon, but his current situation forced him to read it again.

Now let's take it apart again.

The title on the first page is long, but the core message is just two words: "heavy."

Sha Ruijin turned the pages one by one.

He already knew the timeline of the interception of the civil aviation, the unit designation of the armored vehicles entering the oil and gas group, and the specific details of Zhao Lichun's detention—it was nothing new to him.

I turned to the second section and stopped.

He Xia.

The Luzhou flood control project. Records of building materials allocated by the military region's logistics system. A list of engineering vehicles used. Dates, quantities, and approval processes are all clearly listed.

Sha Ruijin read these pages three times.

Shen Zhong is a tough nut to crack; you can't get past him head-on. But He Xia is different.

The Party Secretary of a prefecture-level city borrowed military resources during his administration. This is, at its worst, a blurring of the lines between public and private interests; at its most egregious, it's an abuse of power for personal gain.

Moreover, He Xia is Shen Zhong's wife. Everyone knows the extent to which Shen Zhong is protective of his own.

Taking action against He Xia would be like striking a deep wound, but if there is a legitimate reason and solid evidence...

Sha Ruijin closed the materials, leaned back in his chair, and placed his hands, fingers interlaced, on his abdomen.

We can't afford another direct confrontation with Shen Zhong. Today's lesson was profound—that man has military medals, authorization from the capital, and a gun. Should we confront him? It's like a scholar arguing with a soldier—you can't reason with him.

They need to return to their home turf.

Administration. Economy. Cadre and personnel.

These are the weapons of a provincial party secretary.

No matter how capable Shen Zhong is, he can't control local administration. When He Xia undertakes projects in Lüzhou, approvals have to go through the provincial government, funding has to go through the finance department, and environmental impact assessments have to go through the environmental protection department. All these processes are in the hands of the provincial party committee.

Take it one card at a time, no rush, take your time.

Shen Zhong couldn't sit still any longer, making it impossible for He Xia to move an inch in Lüzhou. His restlessness would lead him to make a move, and that move would expose his weaknesses.

But now his Sha family gang has no one else besides Tian Guofu and Wu Chunlin. He needs more allies. Sha Ruijin picked up the landline phone on the table and dialed a number.

It rang four times before the other end answered.

"Comrade Yuliang, I'm sorry to bother you so late."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone.

"Comrade Ruijin, you're too kind. I haven't rested yet."

Gao Yuliang's voice was calm and unhurried, exactly the same as it had been during the day at the meeting.

"I've thought about what you said at the meeting today for a long time, and I think you make a lot of sense. Zhao Lichun's problem is indeed not solely the responsibility of the political and legal system, and this blame cannot be placed entirely on you."

Gao Yuliang did not respond.

Sha Ruijin continued, "The stability of the cadre team in Handong depends on the political and legal system. You've been rooted in Handong for decades; you know the situation better than I do, and you have more experience. I hope to hear more of your opinions on the work ahead."

Gao Yuliang tapped his fingers lightly twice on the desk.

This is an attempt to win them over.

A blatant attempt to win them over.

"Secretary Sha is too kind. I was just doing my job."

"Comrade Yuliang is too modest," Sha Ruijin said in a gentle tone. "By the way, the matter of the Handa gang has been widely discussed in society. My attitude is very clear—we will not pursue the past. As long as comrades are willing to maintain consistency with the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial Party Committee will not hold grudges against those past blemishes."

The phone went silent at both ends.

Gao Yuliang went over the sentence in his mind three times.

Past mistakes will not be pursued.

Four words.

It means: I know you have something on you, but I can choose not to investigate. The condition is that you side with me.

Gao Yuliang responded flawlessly. "I deeply admire Comrade Ruijin's magnanimity and vision. Handong is at a critical juncture, and every one of us should prioritize the overall situation."

"Alright, then I won't disturb Comrade Yuliang's rest any longer. Let's talk in person another day."

"it is good."

The phone hangs up.

Gao Yuliang put down the microphone and sank into the back of his chair.

On one side is Shen Zhong, a volcano ready to erupt at any moment. Offending him meant that even Zhao Lichun's fate was relatively good.

On the other side is Sha Ruijin. As the provincial party secretary, the principle of the party controlling cadres is set in stone; he holds all the power over personnel, finances, and administrative approvals. Offending him could mean the question of whether one could land safely.