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

After the secure red phone line was connected, the chairs in the conference room seemed to sag.

Sha Ruijin sat up straight, his palm resting on the meeting minutes notebook. Chu Pingshan closed his speech, the edges of the pages already crumpled.

The voice on the phone was very steady.

"The Hantong Provincial Party Committee is now shifting to an expanded report. We will first state the facts, and then present our proposed solutions."

Sha Ruijin glanced at Gao Yuliang and Chu Pingshan, and spoke more cautiously than before.

"Currently, the main problems are concentrated on the illegal activities of the outsourcing team, the data service agency's cooperation in cleaning up traces, and the intense handling of witness protection by the political and legal system. The Provincial Party Committee recommends suspending the relevant projects and establishing a joint investigation team to prevent the situation from escalating."

Gao Yuliang picked up the cup, then put it down again.

Chu Pingshan immediately chimed in, "I'd like to add something. The provincial government introduced outsourced auditing to improve the efficiency of state-owned assets and promote the scientific evaluation of cadres. If Haiheng has violated the law, I firmly support the investigation and punishment, but I personally was unaware of, did not authorize, and did not participate in the specific operations."

There was a two-second pause on the other end of the phone.

Who bears the responsibility for the provincial government's audit chain?

Chu Pingshan looked up, his gaze sweeping across the room, his voice harsher than before.

"According to the responsibilities, the outsourcing unit bears direct responsibility, while the relevant departments of the provincial government bear supervisory responsibility. As the acting governor, I am willing to accept the organization's reminders and criticisms, but I cannot attribute illegal and criminal acts to the instructions of the main leaders of the provincial government."

Li Dakang chuckled softly.

The laughter was short.

That's pretty harsh.

Sha Ruijin looked at him and said, "Comrade Dakang, let's speak according to procedure."

Li Dakang pushed the red bag forward, and a corner of the paper spread out on the table.

"I'll just say one thing. An acting governor doesn't know who holds the reins, yet the knife is already slicing through the throats of Jingzhou businesses, and he still claims he only accepts reminders and criticism. Who will manage the economy of Handong after that? Outsourcing companies, or the coastal investment fund?"

Several members of the Standing Committee lowered their heads, and no one responded.

Chu Pingshan turned to him, "Li Dakang, this is an emotional attack."

Li Dakang slammed his hand on the table, then abruptly stopped himself.

He took a breath and pointed to the eleven agreements. "I was going to be more emotional. Gao Yuliang told me not to curse last night, and I gave him face. Now I only care about responsibility, not your conscience."

Qi Tongwei stood in the back row, his eyelids twitching slightly.

This kind of face is indeed expensive.

Wu Chunlin turned to the organizational procedure page of the materials, his tone calm and composed.

"From an organizational perspective, there is insufficient evidence to immediately conclude that Comrade Chu Pingshan acted on behalf of the authorities. It is also inappropriate for him to continue presiding over provincial government audits, state-owned asset disposals, and cadre performance evaluations."

He looked at Sha Ruijin and said, "I suggest suspending Comrade Chu Pingshan's actual duties as acting governor and transferring him to a second-line position to cooperate with the investigation. This will prevent premature conviction and avoid further escalation of the risk."

The sound of pages turning came from the phone.

Sha Ruijin's face darkened, but he did not interrupt.

Gao Yuliang then stood up.

"I will also report my proposed course of action."

He pushed his early retirement report forward, saying, "Witness protection almost got out of control, and as the secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, I had to take leadership responsibility and retire from the front line ahead of schedule."

The room fell silent.

Qi Tongwei's hand veins bulged, and Lu Yike gently touched the evidence catalog in the audience to remind him not to move.

Gao Yuliang continued, "But I have three requests. First, preserve the integrity of the evidence chain within the political and legal system, and no unit may remove original evidence under the guise of internal review. Second, ratify the legality of Ma's witness protection to protect those involved from future repercussions. Third, reinstate the procedure for appointing a replacement director of the Provincial Public Security Department, so that the political and legal position in Handong cannot remain vacant for an extended period."

Sha Ruijin's gaze darkened.

He understood.

Qi Tongwei understood as well.

Chu Pingshan sneered, "Before retiring, Secretary Gao didn't forget to make arrangements for his own people."

Gao Yuliang didn't even look at him, and just spoke into the direction of the phone.

"Whoever protected the witness last night is qualified to protect the provincial department. The organization's investigation will proceed as planned; I will not name names, nor will I cross any lines."

Qi Tongwei felt as if sandpaper had been rubbing against his throat, but he didn't make a sound.

Li Dakang turned to look at him and said in a low voice, "Stand up straight, don't look like you're attending a funeral."

Qi Tongwei: "..."

Lu Yike lowered her head, her pen tip almost drawing out the table of contents.

There was another half-minute pause on the other end of the phone.

Half a minute is a long time.

Chu Pingshan changed his sitting posture twice, Sha Ruijin's tea had gone completely cold, and the meeting recorder's hand holding the pen was sweaty.

The organization's leadership spoke up.

"The plan to stem the bleeding by the Handong Provincial Party Committee is approved in principle. Comrade Gao Yuliang will be removed from the front line ahead of schedule, and procedures will be followed. Comrade Chu Pingshan will be suspended from his duties as acting governor and transferred to a second-line position to cooperate with the investigation. The Haiheng project will be completely halted, and the relevant outsourced audits will be reassessed."

No one spoke in the room.

"The selection of the Director of the Public Security Department of Handong Province shall be initiated immediately. The legality of witness protection shall be rectified by a joint procedure involving the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission, the Procuratorate, and the Discipline Inspection Commission. Original evidence shall not be transferred without authorization."

The phone hangs up.

With a click.

Like a falling hammer.

Chu Pingshan remained seated, his face paling for a moment before quickly regaining its composure. He slowly organized the documents, his movements slower than usual, and it took him two tries to fasten his cufflinks.

Sha Ruijin didn't look at Gao Yuliang, but only instructed his secretary, "Formulate a summary based on the superior's opinion. Keep the wording safe."

Gao Yuliang nodded, as if he had just finished processing an ordinary official document.

Li Dakang suddenly closed the red bag again.

"Gao Yuliang, you're such a nuisance. In the end, you always have to include yourself in the score."

Gao Yuliang picked up the herbal tea, took a sip, and frowned.

"The tea has gone cold."

Li Dakang was speechless for a long time after being choked up.

Wu Chunlin stood up, put the early retirement report into a special document bag, and glanced at Gao Yuliang as he pressed the seal down.

"Old Gao, according to organizational procedures, I can only write that you applied voluntarily."

Gao Yuliang tightened the lid of the thermos. "That's enough. Don't write too beautifully; I'm not worthy."

Lu Yike put away the read-only disk and walked to Qi Tongwei's side.

"Let go of my hand."

Qi Tongwei looked down and realized that he had deformed the handle of the evidence box by squeezing it.

Lu Yike took the box and said in a very calm voice, "The provincial department hasn't even conducted an investigation yet, so don't cripple the police chief's hand."

Qi Tongwei looked at her, and after a long while, he only replied, "I know."

Chu Pingshan stood up from his seat.

He walked up to Gao Yuliang and stopped, his gentle expression almost gone.

"You think you're safe just because you've withdrawn?"

Several people in the conference room looked over at the same time.

Gao Yuliang tucked the cup under his arm and slowly closed the folder.

"I didn't quit for safety reasons."

Chu Pingshan stared at him for a few seconds, then turned and left. The wooden frame rattled as the door closed.

Sha Ruijin sat in the main seat, his face gloomy.

Gao Yuliang walked out, pausing briefly as he passed Qi Tongwei.

"Don't try to imitate me in the future."

Qi Tongwei stood ramrod straight.

Gao Yuliang glanced at his left arm. "Learn from Shen Zhong. When you need to be fierce, don't let people think you're being reasonable."

Qi Tongwei's eyes reddened slightly, but he suppressed it again.

"Teacher, let me see you off."

"Need not."

Gao Yuliang waved his hand, "I'm not so old that I need my students to help me."

The light at the end of the corridor fell on his back, casting a long shadow.

A few minutes later, Qi Tongwei's phone vibrated.

The number for the Cadre Division of the Organization Department.

"Comrade Qi Tongwei, please attend the organizational meeting at 3 PM this afternoon."

The location given by the other party was not the Jingzhou Municipal Party Committee.

It is the old building of the Provincial Public Security Bureau.