Nominal: Starting with an entrance exam for a PhD in Economics at Peking University

“Very likely,” Hou Liangping said. “He was too cooperative, abnormally so. He probably intended to lead us toward Liu Changsheng from the very beginning.”

"Then what do we do now?"

Hou Liangping looked out the window; it was already very late at night.

“It’s too late,” he said. “The news has already spread. Liu Changsheng must already know.”

At 8 p.m. that evening, in Ji Changming's office at the Provincial Procuratorate.

Hou Liangping received a phone call: "Hou Liangping, come to my office immediately."

Ji Changming's tone was stern.

When Hou Liangping arrived, he found another person in the office—Lao Lin, the executive deputy chief prosecutor of the provincial procuratorate.

The atmosphere was very oppressive.

Ji Changming sat behind his desk, looked at Hou Liangping, and asked abruptly, "Do you know what project you're investigating? Do you know who approved this project?"

"The quarterly inspection I'm investigating is about the loss of state-owned assets," Hou Liangping explained. "Governor Liu's approval doesn't mean he knew about the problems involved."

“But now everyone in the province is saying that the Anti-Corruption Bureau is investigating Governor Liu,” Ji Changming said. “Governor Liu is already very dissatisfied.”

Old Lin interjected, "Director Hou, why wasn't such a big case reported beforehand? According to procedure, projects involving provincial leaders must be reported to higher authorities."

“I was going to report it,” Hou Liangping said. “At the time, I didn’t know that it was Governor Liu who approved it. But as soon as the case was filed, the news spread.”

Ji Changming slammed his hand on the table: "Hou Liangping, you were too impulsive! From now on, the investigation of this case is suspended, all materials are sealed, and we await instructions from higher authorities."

"Quarterly inspection..."

“This is an order!” Ji Changming interrupted him. “Go back and write a detailed explanation of the situation, and hand it to me tomorrow.”

Hou Liangping stood there, his fists clenched.

But in the end, he nodded: "Yes."

Nine o'clock, Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Hou Liangping returned to the Anti-Corruption Bureau, where Lü Liang was waiting for him at the office door.

“Director Hou,” Lü Liang said, head bowed, “the Party Committee of the Procuratorate just called. Starting tomorrow, I will act as the Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau. You… will be on temporary leave.”

Hou Liangping was stunned.

Temporary leave.

This means he's going to be dismissed from his post.

And it will be implemented immediately.

He looked at Lü Liang, wanting to say something, but in the end said nothing.

He turned around and walked out of the anti-corruption bureau building.

The night wind was cold; it felt like knives on my face.

The next morning at eight o'clock, Chen Hai called Hou Liangping.

“Liangping, they’ve transferred me to the archives,” Chen Hai said, his voice filled with anger and helplessness. “My dad also received a call this morning, telling him not to bother anyone with my case anymore, saying it would be bad for his recovery.”

Hou Liangping held the phone, speechless.

The next afternoon, Hou Liangping discovered:

His account in the prosecutor's office system was suspended.

His car was taken back.

His secretary was transferred.

All traces were cleaned up within 24 hours.

What's even more frightening is that everyone who got close to him began to distance themselves from him.

Colleagues who used to work with him on cases now avoid him whenever they see him.

The security guards at the entrance of the procuratorate looked at him differently.

He went from being the head of the anti-corruption bureau to a person with no position or power.

It only took 24 hours.

On the third day, the Han Dong Daily published a commentary.

The title is: "Handling cases according to law requires political awareness, and fighting corruption requires proper methods."

The article did not name names, but it criticized "certain young cadres" throughout:

"Some young cadres, newly arrived at their posts, are unfamiliar with the local situation and frequently use the pretext of anti-corruption to interfere with normal economic work. They even investigate key provincial projects without authorization. This behavior demonstrates a lack of political awareness and disregard for rules..."

The provincial television news that evening reported on Governor Liu's inspection of a certain project.

In the video, Governor Liu smiles and shakes hands with the entrepreneurs.

The host said, "Governor Liu emphasized that we must create a favorable environment for enterprise development and not allow irresponsible practices to interfere with economic development."

Hou Liangping sat at home, watching TV, without saying a word.

Just when everyone thought Liu Changsheng's counterattack had come to an end, an unexpected event occurred on the afternoon of the third day.

The provincial government suddenly issued a document: to establish a special audit team to conduct a comprehensive audit of Handong Oil and Gas Group.

The audit team leader is personally appointed by the deputy director of the provincial audit department.

Liu Xinjian received a call from the Audit Department while in his office.

"Chairman Liu, the provincial government has decided to conduct a special audit of the oil and gas group. Please cooperate with the work."

The voice on the other end of the phone was very polite, but Liu Xinjian's hands began to tremble.

If you're trying to use someone else to do your dirty work, be careful not to cut your own hand.

Chapter 152 Killing the Chicken to Warn the Monkey

People often fail to see themselves clearly.

Among them, three types of people are the most common.

One type is the high-achievers of large platforms who treat the platform's resources as their own abilities. Only after leaving that platform do they realize they are nothing.

The second type is the pig on the wind, pushed forward by the tide of the times, thinking it can fly. Only when the tide goes out do you find out who was swimming naked.

The last type is the leader's lackey. Being too close to the core of power and witnessing how power operates so much, they lose their reverence for power and forget that they are just a dog, not power itself.

Liu Xinjian is the third type.

Having served Zhao Lichun for so many years, he had grown accustomed to Liu Changsheng's inflexible and ineffective nature. At the provincial government's executive meetings, Liu Changsheng always maintained the same amiable demeanor—"This can be studied," "That can be considered," "Let's discuss it further." He never made a decision, offended no one, and acted like a good-natured man without a temper.

Liu Xinjian felt that this person was weak and easy to manipulate.

They are the perfect target for using someone else to do their dirty work.

That's why he carefully packaged the projects handled by Liu Changsheng and sent them to Chen Hai through the vice president of the oil and gas group.

But he was wrong.

He never expected Liu Changsheng to attack him, showing no regard for his master, Zhao Lichun.

What was even more unexpected was that in such a short time, Liu Changsheng didn't have time to investigate the whole incident before taking action against him. This was a "better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free" attitude—making an example of someone to deter others and eliminating any potential threats.

On the fourth day, the audit team entered Handong Oil and Gas Group.

The deputy director of the audit department personally led a team of more than a dozen people, which drove directly into the oil and gas group's building.

All financial documents were sealed up.

Access all major project files.

The review will focus on all projects approved during Liu Xinjian's tenure.

The audit team was even faster and more ruthless than the anti-corruption bureau. In three days and three nights, they thoroughly investigated the oil and gas group's accounts over the past few years.

List out all the points of doubt.

All major expenditures during Liu Xinjian's tenure must be explained.

For every expenditure exceeding one million, original receipts must be provided.

On the afternoon of the fifth day, in the conference room of the oil and gas group.

Liu Xinjian was summoned for questioning.

The audit team leader sat in the main seat, a thick stack of documents in front of him. Several members of the audit team sat beside him, each with a notebook in front of them, taking notes as needed.

Liu Xinjian sat opposite him, his face somewhat pale.

“Chairman Liu, our audit has uncovered some issues that we need your explanation,” the audit team leader said calmly, opening the documents. “In 2015, the oil and gas group purchased a batch of imported equipment for a total of 230 million yuan. However, our investigation revealed that the market price of this equipment was only 180 million yuan. Where did the extra 50 million yuan go?”

Liu Xinjian swallowed hard: "Well... it was purchased through a middleman at the time, and the middleman had to charge a certain service fee."

"Service fee?" The team leader looked at him. "Fifty million for a service fee? Chairman Liu, do you think that price is reasonable?"

That's just how the market works...

“Then explain,” the audit team leader interrupted him, taking out another document, “the legal representative of this middleman is your wife’s cousin. Doesn’t this constitute a transfer of benefits?”

Liu Xinjian's face turned even paler: "I...I didn't know they had this kind of relationship."

"Don't know?" The audit team leader sneered. "In 2016, the oil and gas group invested in a natural gas reserve project in Northeast China, with an initial investment of 300 million yuan. But the project hasn't even started yet. Where did those 300 million yuan go?"

"The project has encountered some difficulties, and the procedures are still being processed..."

"The paperwork has been in the works for three years and it's still not finished?" The audit team leader looked at him. "Chairman Liu, do you think we're fools? We've investigated, and the land permits for this project are problematic; it simply won't be approved. You knew it wouldn't be approved, so why did you still invest 300 million?"

Liu Xinjian was speechless.

“Furthermore,” the audit team leader continued, turning to another document, “in 2017, the oil and gas group paid a consulting firm 20 million yuan in consulting fees. But we investigated and found that this consulting firm had been registered for less than six months, had only five employees, and its office was located in a residential building. What makes such a company worthy of 20 million yuan in consulting fees?”

"They...they did provide consulting services..."

"What services were provided?" The audit team leader slammed his hand on the table. "Show us the consulting report!"

Liu Xinjian lowered his head and remained silent.

The audit team leader looked at him, his tone growing colder: "Liu Xinjian, in your years at the oil and gas group, these aren't the only problematic projects you've handled. Our preliminary estimates put the amount involved at least one billion yuan. Where did all that money go?"