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

When Zhao Ruilong returned to Jingzhou, the Shanshui Group was already in a state of panic.

The audit and discipline inspection personnel entered Handong Oil and Gas Group. Like two precision instruments, the affairs of the oil and gas group were quickly separated. By noon, the evidence collected was enough to place Liu Xinjian under investigation.

Blessings are unparalleled, and misfortunes do not come singly.

News has spread from Jingzhou that Ding Yizhen has been invited to the Discipline Inspection Commission for questioning.

"Gao Xiaoqin."

Zhao Ruilong sat in the hall of the Shanshui Manor, swirling a glass of red wine in his hand. "How's Qi Tongwei doing?"

Gao Xiaoqin stood by the window, her back to him, her voice calm: "Director Qi... hasn't been coming much lately."

"You rarely come?"

Zhao Ruilong sneered, "That bastard is trying to get away with this, isn't he? I heard that Qi Tongwei was the one who leaked the information about Handong Oil and Gas Group's illegal gasoline resale."

"Now that they see Lin Zhiyuan is powerful, they can't wait to climb up to their new master. They're like dogs that can't change their nature."

Despite his angry outbursts, Zhao Ruilong showed no sign of worry on his face.

He put down his wine glass, took a USB drive from his bag, and twirled it between his fingers: "Gao Xiaoqin, do you know what this is?"

Gao Xiaoqin turned around, looked at the USB drive, and frowned slightly.

"Don't worry, it's not a private video."

"Surveillance footage from the Shanshui Group."

A smug smile crept onto Zhao Ruilong's lips. "Every time Qi Tongwei enters or leaves the Shanshui Manor, every time he meets you, every time he hosts a banquet for the members of the Handa Gang..."

Zhao Ruilong paused, then said meaningfully, "They're all on here."

"Young Master Zhao, you..."

Gao Xiaoqin's expression changed.

"What about me?"

Zhao Ruilong stood up and walked up to her. "Gao Xiaoqin, don't forget whose business Shanshui Group is. Without me, Zhao Ruilong, you are nothing."

He leaned closer and lowered his voice:

"Qi Tongwei thinks he can run away? Not so easy. He'll never be able to wipe the shit off his body."

"Aren't you going to answer my call? I'm giving him too much credit."

Gao Xiaoqin lowered her head.

She knew that Zhao Ruilong was telling the truth.

Although the Zhao family gang's power in Handong was severely damaged, Zhao Ruilong's seemingly ordinary surveillance footage was enough to bring Qi Tongwei to his doom.

"it's useless."

"He's not coming."

Gao Xiaoqin shook her head. "Just last night, Director Qi called me out once."

"He forcibly ordered me to transfer the shares."

"He's no longer a shareholder of the Shanshui Group, so there's no need for him to come here."

Transfer of shares?

Zhao Ruilong's expression changed drastically. He grabbed the wine glass in his hand and smashed it over. Gao Xiaoqin didn't dare to dodge, and the red wine soaked her dress.

Zhao Ruilong was still not satisfied and was about to slap her when Gao Xiaoqin stepped forward and said coldly, "Young Master Zhao, it's better not to hit me."

"Okay, okay!"

"That bastard Qi Tongwei is so tough on me, you're copying him, aren't you?"

"He's gone, let's see who can back you up now?"

A chilling killing intent flashed in Zhao Ruilong's eyes.

"you!"

Gao Xiaoqin spat out a single word through gritted teeth.

"After all, I am the major shareholder of Shanshui Group, aren't I? Liu Xinjian has already been arrested, so naturally I, as the chairman and legal representative of Shanshui Group, should bear the responsibility."

Zhao Ruilong's anger faltered.

He understood what Gao Xiaoqin meant, and she took the blame voluntarily.

After all, with the recent scandal at Handong Oil and Gas Group, which resulted in the downfall of a department-level official, there's bound to be others going to jail.

That was also the Zhao family's original plan.

"As the CEO of Shanshui Group, with a net worth of billions, I was slapped in the face. Isn't that a clear indication to everyone that I'm just a puppet?"

Seeing that the other person understood her speech, Gao Xiaoqin gracefully sat down on the sofa and sipped her red wine.

"Director Qi holds hidden shares, most of which are held by me on his behalf. He doesn't admit it, and I have no evidence, so naturally I'm taking the blame. The same goes for Young Master Zhao and the others."

"Although Young Master Zhao has a stake, he's only a minor shareholder. He can push all the blame onto me."

Gao Xiaoqin said bluntly.

What do you want?

Zhao Ruilong composed himself, opened another bottle of red wine, and said it was time to negotiate.

"My sister's freedom and the real power of the Hong Kong Trust Fund, plus HK$10 billion."

"If I go in, I'll get at least 25 years in jail. That's not unreasonable, is it?"

Gao Xiaoqin also opened a bottle of wine and drank it by herself.

"I need to make a phone call."

HK$10 billion was no small sum for the Zhao family. Zhao Ruilong immediately went into a safe house and dialed Zhao Xiaohui's number. "Second sister, the Hantong Provincial Committee acted very quickly. Liu Xinjian and Ding Yizhen have both been apprehended."

"That bastard Qi Tongwei refused to acknowledge the hidden shares and forcibly severed ties. Gao Xiaoqin was willing to take the blame, but she wanted HK$10 billion and that Hong Kong trust fund."

Zhao Xiaohui's clear and decisive voice rang out:

"Give it to her!"

"Also, you absolutely must see Lin Zhiyuan."

"Don't go directly to them. Find Li Dakang and Qi Tongwei to act as intermediaries, preferably the latter. Li Dakang is too shrewd; you can't outsmart him."

"Why? That's 10 billion."

Zhao Ruilong felt heartbroken.

"Dad spoke with Lin Zhiyuan on the phone. Lin Zhiyuan is not going to kill our Zhao family. Otherwise, given his strong stance of being able to easily investigate the oil and gas group, he would have taken control of Shanshui Group and you long ago."

"Also, we, the Zhao family, have wronged Xinjian. We can't bring the people out. Take good care of your younger brother, sister-in-law, and nephew at home, and don't let them suffer any hardship in terms of material things."

Zhao Xiaohui warned.

"Okay, I understand."

Zhao Ruilong hung up the phone and walked out of the safe house.

"I agree to your terms."

"Go, but tell Qi Tongwei that I want to see him, and he can choose the time and place."

Zhao Ruilong waved his hand.

"Alright, but whether Director Qi can see me or not is beyond my control."

Gao Xiaoqin got up and went out.

"Governor Lin, everything has been done as you instructed. Zhao Ruilong wants to see me."

Qi Tongwei hung up the phone and looked at Lin Zhiyuan in front of him. "Those surveillance videos..."

"If this gets out, it'll just be a serious warning at worst. What are you afraid of?"

Lin Zhiyuan didn't seem to care. "Or do you have something else, more private, in his hands?"

"have."

Qi Tongwei nodded. "In the early days, in order to seek refuge with the Zhao family, I knew that there were surveillance cameras at the lakeside garden of Crescent Lake in Luzhou, so I specially took some videos and photos for the Zhao family."

"but…"

"I've been keeping an eye on those things. A few years ago, when Zhao Ruilong and his partner Du Bozhong had a falling out and Du Bozhong took those videos and photos away, I had already hacked in and replaced them."

"The face is still my face, but it's become a composite."

Qi Tongwei readily admitted it.

"How many people did they have under their command? Did they replace them all, or just their own?"

Lin Zhiyuan gave Qi Tongwei a strange look, not expecting this guy with thick eyebrows and big eyes to have such thoughts.

"There were people from Secretary Gao, Liu Xinjian, and some members of the Handan University clique."

"But Du Bozhong only took the belongings of the three of us."

Qi Tongwei lowered his head, not daring to meet his gaze. "At that time, I was thinking that if Zhao Ruilong and Du Bozhong were to betray us one day, I could use the real video of Secretary Gao and Liu Xinjian to highlight my integrity and incorruptibility, and show that I was framed by bad people, thus washing away the stain on my record."

Good heavens! That's really good heavens!

Who said Qi Tongwei was truly loyal to his mentor Gao Yuliang? He's got quite the shrewd schemes in his head.

Using the teacher's reputation to whitewash oneself!

Qi Tongwei, you're a ruthless guy!