Courtyard House: From Deputy Division Commander to Civilian, Progressing All the Way

The moment he opened the door, Lin Yang stopped in his tracks.

He didn't turn around.

Lin Yang raised his right hand and waved it casually in mid-air, as if brushing away a tiny speck of dust from his sleeve.

"Go back to Beijing, it's the beginning of spring."

Go and revise the history books, and see what happened to those who tried to become local tyrants.

With a dull "click," the heavy mahogany door slammed shut behind Lin Yang.

Outside the door, He Yuzhu and Shen Yan followed Lin Yang's steps, one on each side.

In the corridor, only the tightly closed red door remained.

Inside the door, the once arrogant King of Handong lay sprawled on a luxurious Persian carpet, emitting a mournful and desperate wail like that of a lost dog.

Lin Yang strode towards the elevator.

His gaze was fixed on the bright floor-to-ceiling window at the end of the corridor, where the sunlight was dazzling and intense.

The abscess in Handong burst.

But in the grand scheme of national rejuvenation, there are still many more treacherous shoals waiting for him to navigate.

Lin Yang reached out and tugged at the collar of his black jacket.

He took firm steps and entered the elevator.

In the last second before the elevator doors closed completely, Lin Yang reached out and pressed the button for the first floor.

Without any hesitation.

··········

The elevator doors opened smoothly in the lobby on the first floor.

Lin Yang strode out, and the cold wind outside rushed in through the revolving door of the hall, causing the hem of his black jacket to flutter slightly.

The security guards on duty in the lobby remained standing ramrod straight. They had no idea that in just half an hour, the transfer of supreme power in this vast area of ​​Handong District had been completed silently on the top floor of this building.

He Yuzhu had already parked the inconspicuous Jeep at the bottom of the steps outside the gate.

He opened the back door. Lin Yang bent down and got in, followed closely by Shen Yan, who got into the passenger seat.

The moment the car door closed, it completely shut out the noise from outside.

"Commander, shall we go to the train station?" He Yuzhu asked, glancing at Lin Yang through the rearview mirror as he gripped the steering wheel.

"I'm not going back to Beijing." Lin Yang leaned back in his leather seat, his deep gaze looking through the car window at the hurried passersby on the streets of Jingzhou. "I'm going to Handong University."

He Yuzhu paused for a moment, but didn't ask any questions. He immediately shifted gears and started driving. The jeep smoothly entered the main road and headed towards the university district in the western suburbs of Jingzhou.

Shen Yan, sitting in the passenger seat, quickly opened the black, confidential briefcase he carried with him. His keen political acumen instantly revealed the deeper meaning behind Lin Yang's decision.

"Chairman, with Zhao Lichun transferred, the position of executive director of Handong is now vacant. Coupled with Liu Tieming being placed under investigation, almost half of the current powerful leadership in Handong Province has collapsed."

Shen Yan pushed up his black-rimmed glasses and analyzed in a serious tone, "The Kengkou Power Station project is at a critical juncture, and the local clan forces have been turned into a powder keg on the verge of exploding by Zhao Lichun's violent methods. Handong is currently a volcano that could get out of control at any moment. We must immediately arrange for someone who can keep things in check and knows the rules to take over."

Lin Yang closed his eyes and tapped his fingers lightly on his knees, making a rhythmic sound.

"What do you think about parachuting someone in from the Ministry of Heavy Industry or the National Development and Reform Commission?" Lin Yang asked casually.

Shen Yan pondered for a moment, then decisively shook his head.

"It's not appropriate. Zhao Lichun was parachuted in, and in order to break the deadlock quickly, he adopted extreme methods that were completely detached from the local ecology of Handong. If we parachute in another official from Beijing, the local cadres in Handong will outwardly obey, but inwardly they will definitely put up soft resistance. Moreover, outsiders are not familiar with the local conditions, and it will be difficult to appease the public grievances that have boiled over due to forced demolitions and violent law enforcement in a short period of time."

"You've hit the nail on the head." Lin Yang slowly opened his eyes, a deep sense of admiration flashing in them.

"Handong's illness can no longer be treated with drastic measures. Zhao Lichun's swift action has cut away the rotten flesh that needed to be cut, but it has also severed Handong's laws and regulations. Now, we need a gentle yet powerful splint to set the broken bones back together."

Lin Yang looked out the car window at the streets that were gradually revealing a strong academic atmosphere.

"The person we're looking for must understand Handong and have sufficient prestige within the local faction there. But at the same time, he must be a person who knows the rules, abides by the law, and is a clean slate who would never collude with criminal gangs."

Shen Yan's mind raced, and he immediately locked onto Handong University as his target.

"President, you went to Han University to see Professor Gao Yuliang from the Department of Political Science and Law?" Shen Yan blurted out.

Lin Yang nodded slightly.

Shen Yan immediately pulled out an internal research document from his briefcase and quickly reported the error.

"Gao Yuliang is the head of the Department of Political Science and Law at Handong University and a leading scholar in law. He has countless students in the Handong political and legal system, and many of the current security chiefs and legal professionals in various cities in Handong are his students."

"This man is very knowledgeable, rigorous in his work, and even a bit rigid like a scholar. In the past year, he has published several articles in internal reference materials and academic journals, subtly but sharply criticizing Zhao Lichun's 'violence against violence' and 'disregard for the law' in the land acquisition process. For this, Zhao Lichun even sent someone to warn the president of Han University and suspended several of Gao Yuliang's research grants."

Shen Yan closed the document, his tone carrying a hint of respect.

"Despite the immense pressure from Zhao Lichun's absolute control, he still dared to stand up and speak out about the law and the rules. This person truly has integrity."

"Integrity is the last fig leaf for a scholar." Lin Yang's lips curled into a meaningful sneer. "But on my chessboard, integrity alone is not enough. I have to personally weigh whether his backbone can bear the heavy burden of the black pot that is Handong."

After half an hour.

The jeep drove into the historic gates of Handong University.

The university campus in the early 1980s exuded a vibrant yet simple and pure atmosphere. Tall plane trees lined both sides of the road, and sunlight filtered through their broad leaves, casting dappled patterns on the asphalt.

Groups of college students dressed in old blue or military green casual clothes rode their old-fashioned bicycles through the campus. On the benches along the roadside, young faces were engrossed in reading books.

After a decade of neglect, these high-achieving students, now back in academia, have developed an almost obsessive thirst for knowledge.

Lin Yang got out of the jeep.

Looking into those hopeful young eyes, the fierce aura of killing intent emanating from him subtly receded, replaced by a calmness as deep as an abyss.

"Sir, the political science and law department's office building is in that row of red brick buildings at the back. I'll lead the way." He Yuzhu led the way, blocking the occasional students who passed by.

The three walked through the tree-lined path and came to a slightly old three-story red brick building.

As they climbed the wooden stairs, worn smooth by time, they arrived at the door of an office at the end of the second floor.

A wooden sign hangs on the door that reads "Office of the Head of the Department of Political Science and Law".

The door wasn't closed properly; it was ajar.