Nominal: Who isn't a son-in-law?

Meanwhile, in the office.

Secretary Chu sat upright on the sofa in the reception area, a cigarette between his fingers, wisps of smoke drifting slowly.

Opposite him sat an elderly man in a Zhongshan suit, who was none other than Gu Yucai.

"I had a cup of your tea earlier."

"Now, please try my Xianhao tea. How does it taste?"

Chu Shijun said with a smile.

However, Gu Yucai was not in the mood for tea at the moment. He looked at the steaming tea and sighed, "I have no appetite for tea. I haven't been able to eat or sleep well these past two days."

After saying that, he took one of Chu Shijun's cigarettes from the table, lit it, and took a few deep drags.

After a long pause, he said with a complicated expression, "My Lord, you should know why I've come."

"In my life, I have spent most of my life in the political arena, witnessing the rise and fall of power and the entanglements between politics and business."

"I originally thought that my family's descendants could still uphold the bottom line, but who knew that my children and grandchildren would be unworthy, blinded by greed, and mired in the quagmire."

"Some of his actions are illegal and morally reprehensible. I do not deny these facts, nor do I defend them."

Gu Yucai spoke in a somber tone, his expression carrying an indescribable sense of vicissitude.

"However, after all, my family has been passed down for decades, and I have spent half my life within the system of family and country. The honor and disgrace of my family is no longer a private matter, but is connected with the intricate old order and human relationships."

Upon hearing this, Chu Shijun's previously calm expression changed slightly, and he narrowed his eyes, asking, "What is meant by 'old order'? Is it one of flourishing prosperity or stagnation?"

"You may not know me, but I could say no after I graduated from school, and I still can today."

"If you're going to use this as an excuse, then please forgive me for not being able to accept it."

Seeing Chu Shijun's resolute attitude, Gu Yucai's expression remained unchanged, but his words also revealed a willingness to back down.

"I understand everything you've said. I don't ask that he be absolved of responsibility, I only ask that you, my lord, consider the bigger picture and leave him a chance to survive."

"All of Wang Bei's industries, land, capital, and all illegal gains in Tianhe and Zhencheng will be turned over to the national treasury without keeping a single penny. I will personally restrain and sever all political and business connections under his name and will never interfere in local government affairs."

He paused, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly.

"I can also find another place to live out my remaining years."

"This is all I ask for: to maintain a semblance of decency and dignity under the law, as long as serious crimes involving human lives are not condemned and the root causes are not eradicated."

He stared directly at Chu Shijun. Though he had aged considerably in the past two days, he still exuded a certain imposing aura.

"Some things, if investigated too thoroughly and exposed too completely, will not only stir up trouble in one place, but also affect the inner workings of the government. I hope you will think carefully and weigh your options."

Chu Shijun listened quietly, his fingers holding the cigarette tightening slightly, and a chill had crept into his eyes.

Hehehe

He chuckled twice, stood up, paced back and forth in the office a couple of times, crossed his arms, took a drag of his cigarette, and then sat back down on the sofa. He said in a deep voice, "Do you know that Comrade Yun Chen once said he regretted it?"

Gu Yucai's pupils contracted, and he slammed his fist on the table.

"Shut up! This is not something you or I can discuss!"

Chu Shijun smiled faintly and continued, "What you just said concerns the overall situation, human relationships, and dignity."

"In my view, the big picture is the integrity of the political environment of a province, the stability of millions of people, and the redress of grievances for the innocent deceased."

"In my eyes, dignity means that those in positions of power uphold their original aspirations and that families maintain their bottom line in life, rather than using the remaining influence of power to protect criminals and using personal relationships to trample on the law."

"You said that pulling one hair affects the whole body, but if I turn a blind eye to crimes because of personal feelings or fear of background, I would be letting down the people of the province and abandoning my responsibilities."

Chu Shijun said in an unquestionable tone,

"Before the law, I will not show any leniency, and there are no special privileges for certain people or exceptions for certain circles."

"Within the legal framework, I must ensure that the procedures are fair and the handling is appropriate. Please forgive me for not being able to use my seniority to exert pressure or use personal connections to save my life."

Hearing this, Gu Yucai said unwillingly, "Is there really no room for negotiation?"

"Never."

Chu Shijun shook his head.

"The actions of Zhang Yang, Zhu Yang, Gu Wangbei, Chairman Xu, and others are challenging the bottom line, and in my eyes, the bottom line cannot be trampled upon."

"We must take it down. As for what you said about turmoil, hehe, I, Chu Shijun, have never been afraid."

"All I know is that it's the right thing to get rid of these pests."

"After that, a thousand sails passed by the sunken ship, and ten thousand trees bloomed before the withered tree!"

"you!"

Upon hearing this line of poetry.

Gu Yucai's pupils dilated violently, and his chest heaved uncontrollably.

This is like stabbing him in the lungs, pointing at him and cursing him!

For a moment, he froze on the spot, his blood and qi surging violently.

Chu Shijun didn't say anything more. After a long while, Gu Yucai stood up without a word, turned around and left with faltering steps.

As he reached the door, he turned around, opened his mouth, and asked, "I heard you're going to transfer my nephew's job?"

Chu Shijun did not respond, but simply pointed to the desk not far to his right.

Seeing this, Gu Yucai understood and completely gave up. He nodded and said, "Pick me a good place to stay?"

Then he asked and answered himself: "How is Luzhou? It's a water town in Jiangnan, with gardens everywhere."

Upon hearing this place, Chu Shijun glanced at him in surprise, neither nodding nor objecting, simply saying, "Take care."

As soon as Gu Yucai left, Ye Wentao walked in and said, "Secretary Chu, Secretary Li from Zhencheng, Secretary Liu from the Discipline Inspection Commission, Secretary Sima from the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, Chief Prosecutor Huo from the Procuratorate, President Liu Zhen from the Court, and others have arrived to report to you. They are in the reception room now."

"Alright, comrades, please go to the small conference room."

Chu Shijun nodded.

……

A moment later, he entered the small conference room, and everyone present stood up to greet him: "Hello, Secretary Chu!"

Wang Hongqing, standing at the back, was so excited that his face turned red and his voice was the loudest. Chu Shijun noticed him immediately and glanced at him a couple more times.

"Hello, comrades, please have a seat."

Chu Shijun's gaze swept across the room, and he went straight to the point: "The overnight arrest operation is over. Tell me the actual situation. Comrade Dakang, you go first."

Li Dakang stood up, clutching the documents in his hand, and said, "Secretary Chu, comrades, after receiving your instructions last night, the Zhencheng Municipal Party Committee, in conjunction with the Municipal Public Security Bureau and the Discipline Inspection Commission, and under the guidance and support of Chief Prosecutor Huo, Director Sima, and Dean Liu, launched a city-wide arrest operation. The operation concluded at 8:30 this morning. The core details are as follows:"

"In this operation, a total of more than 320 police officers and discipline inspection personnel were deployed, divided into 18 action teams. The team accurately identified the list of suspects and arrested a total of 47 suspects of various types."

"Among them, there are 7 city-level cadres and 12 county-level cadres, covering key departments such as finance, housing and construction, and investment promotion; 15 core management personnel of Yuanzhong Group and Nanyun Group in Zhencheng area; 8 bank executives suspected of transferring benefits and illegally lending; and 5 related personnel suspected of covering up and leaking information."