In name only: The land of Handong, I shall rule its fate.

"Because of you, my good son-in-law, I'm over sixty years old and I have to lose face in public."

"You said the Party Secretary's voice was very loud three times!"

"I, the deputy secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission, am being suffocated by your pressure."

The chill in the voice coming through the microphone grew deeper and deeper.

Tian Guofu's legs started tapping incessantly, and even the grievances he initially felt from being besieged by the Standing Committee members of Handong disappeared completely.

"Dad...Dad, that's not how it is."

Tian Guofu tried desperately to explain, "It's true...it's true that someone wants to harm me!"

"And that good-for-nothing Sha Ruijin."

"Every time we lose, I'm the one who suffers. They don't dare to bully their superiors too much, so I become their punching bag."

"Dad, I'm suffering!"

The desolation in Tian Guofu's cries was comparable to that of Meng Jiangnu.

"waste!"

Old Zhang snorted heavily. "When I brought you into the Discipline Inspection Commission back then, I reminded you that the first step in being a member of the Discipline Inspection Commission is not to investigate others, but to investigate yourself."

"You must have a flawless true body, how come you haven't made any progress at all?"

Old Zhang's words were full of disappointment and frustration: "True perfection, do you think simply being incorruptible and without greed is enough? Your foundation lies in correcting illegal and unethical conduct!"

"If only you were a little more ambitious."

"Who dares to criticize a provincial discipline inspection commission secretary!"

"You managed to turn an invincible situation into a complete mess."

"You still have the nerve to cry!"

Tian Guofu looked like a defeated rooster, dejected and not daring to utter a single word of rebuttal.

He knew how sharp-tongued his father-in-law was; a mere lick of his lower lip could trigger a poisoning reaction seven or eight times.

Because of his sharp tongue, he usually has many victims. This time, someone seized the opportunity to retaliate through him, and you can imagine how angry he was.

And this happened during the height of his career, just last month, when he was promoted.

"I'm sorry, Dad!"

Tian Guofu was truly exhausted. "Dad, scold me all you want, I'll listen to everything."

What's the use of scolding you?

Old Zhang scoffed, "Explain the current situation in Handong to me clearly, especially your own predicament."

"Thank you, Dad!"

Tian Guofu instantly recovered; he was saved. His father-in-law hadn't given up on him!

Tian Guofu quickly explained the current situation in Handong in detail, and successfully portrayed himself as an innocent victim.

"Um?"

Old Zhang suddenly called for a halt, exclaiming in surprise, "You mean the Lin family boy wants you to go to school?"

"yes…"

Tian Guofu still feels deeply indignant when he thinks about it now.

"That kid is still kind-hearted; he didn't intend to kill us all."

Old Zhang, however, did not get angry but laughed, though the laughter was like that of a hawk, sending chills down one's spine.

"what!"

Tian Guofu was stunned. "Should I go?"

idiot!

Old Zhang hissed in a low voice, "Is that a brain or a placenta on your neck? You can't understand a word of human language."

"The Lin family boy is giving you a final warning, telling you to stay away from Sha Ruijin."

"Do your job well."

"So you can't even understand this little hint? Even a pig's brain works better than yours."

Tian Guofu felt wronged.

"But my first mission in coming to Handong was to assist Sha Ruijin in eliminating the Zhao family gang!"

"In the early stages, Sha Ruijin and I were naturally one..."

Tian Guofu protested his innocence.

Actually, there was another half-sentence: to go through the motions but not put in any real effort, to hide behind Sha Ruijin and act as the sixth brother—that was his father-in-law's intention, but he didn't dare.

He also understood his father-in-law's meaning.

The Zhang family is at best a second-rate family in Beijing. His father-in-law has been stuck at the ministerial level for almost ten years because of his silver tongue. Time is running out, and the Zhang family can't help him advance any further.

He wanted to reach the level of his father-in-law, and the only way to survive was to take a risky gamble.

"Tian Guofu, you reincarnated paramecium spirit, I ask you, who is your superior? Am I not your superior?!"

"I can't directly manage things, can't I even say something?"

"Am I mute? Yes, I am mute, mute because of your poisoning, you brainstem-deficient idiot."

"Holy crap!"

"Get back to the capital! My belt is growling with hunger!"

Dad! Dad! Dad!

Tian Guofu begged for mercy repeatedly. His father-in-law actually knew a bit about bondage and whipping techniques. "I was wrong, Dad!"

"I will follow your instructions from now on."

The warm calls of "Dad" finally brought Old Zhang back to his senses, and he angrily retorted, "Discipline inspection work is to investigate illegal and disciplinary violations."

"There's something wrong with the Lin family's people; they need to be investigated! But everyone on Sha Ruijin's side is fine?"

"Everyone is equal before the law!"

"Especially that Tong Li, keep a close eye on him!"

Old Zhang's voice gradually turned genuinely cold. "He comes from a background in discipline inspection. He can guess at least a 70-80% of what you're thinking, if not everything. Moreover, he comes from a humble background and is ruthless. You can't outmaneuver him."

"As for your task..."

"Sha Ruijin wants to eliminate the Zhao family's core power base. Does he really think that Lin's son, with his personality, can tolerate the Zhao family continuing to dominate Handong?"

"It's just a matter of different levels of cleaning."

"idiot!"

"A game that could have been won without doing anything, but they played it like this."

"Your son will have no good future, it's all your fault. The Zhang family will be ruined by you sooner or later."

Understood! Understood!

Tian Guofu nodded repeatedly.

"Dad, I'm already doing it."

Tian Guofu immediately informed Li Guohua of the matter of ordering Mao Ya to be nailed to death, and promised to maintain absolute neutrality in the anti-corruption bureau's investigation and actively assist Li Guohua's work.

"Um?"

Old Zhang exclaimed in surprise, "It's quite rare that you still have this kind of thought in mind."

Tian Guofu dared not speak.

His strict investigation of Mao Ya stemmed from a purely selfish desire to get revenge on Sha Ruijin.

"Dad, what about the others?"

Tian Guofu humbly requested permission, and then changed the subject.

"Using both hands, I'll become a troll."

Old Zhang said ruthlessly, "Go all out, find clues, gather evidence, and take down Lin Zhiyuan's provincial government faction, as well as Sha Ruijin's Shajiabang faction."

"To be a loyal subject standing alone!"

What?

Tian Guofu trembled.

He's already in such a bad state for offending the provincial government faction, and now they're attacking Shajiabang? He'll just become a specimen.

"Who told you your brother's surname is Pig!"

Old Zhang's anger flared up again. "Now that the Lin family brat has put you in the spotlight, everyone's watching you. If you don't want to die, you'll have to remain a lone wolf!"

"Your only redeeming quality is your cowardice."

"I dare not do anything that crosses the line."

"This is a lifesaver."

"As long as you stick to your job, neither Sha Ruijin nor the Lin family brat can touch you."

"Do you understand?"

"idiot!"

"This is also something that the Lin family boy has repeatedly warned you about and wanted you to do."

"You did it."

"The Lin family lad will not only refrain from violence, but will also protect you."

"But if you continue to stay by Sha Ruijin's side, Sha Ruijin will kill you before the Lin family boy even lays a hand on you."

"idiot!"

"Try to use your tangled brain; can you understand what I'm saying?"