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

Ji Changming was taken aback for a moment, then he understood what Sha Ruijin meant.

"Yes, I'll arrange it right away."

After Ji Changming left, Sha Ruijin sat alone in his office, sorting out the details of the matter in his mind.

The transfer of the Qingshan Gas Field → approval by Liu Changsheng → takeover by Shanshui Group → Shanshui Group is a front for the Zhao family → transfer of benefits.

If this lead is true, then it's not just a simple matter of the loss of state-owned assets.

This is another important chain of interests for the Zhao family in Handong.

Liu Changsheng is likely a key link in this chain of interests.

Sha Ruijin stood up and walked to the window.

He has been in Handong for almost a year and has been working to eliminate the lingering influence of the Zhao family.

He had already persuaded Li Dakang to defect, thus dismantling the secretary's faction; although Qi Tongwei had different goals from his own, he also took away half of the Han University faction's power, which objectively achieved the goal of weakening the Zhao family.

However, the Zhao family's influence remains deeply entrenched, making it difficult to find a real breakthrough.

Those superficial people and events have been mostly cleared up. But the core network of interests remains hidden deep within.

Now, Hou Liangping may have inadvertently discovered another deeply hidden force within the Zhao family—Liu Changsheng.

Although Hou Liangping was suppressed, the loose ends had already been exposed.

By simply pulling on this end of the thread, you can pull the entire thread out.

Sha Ruijin picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Comrade Guofu, are you free now? Come to my office."

Twenty minutes later, Tian Guofu arrived.

“Secretary Sha.” Tian Guofu sat down on the sofa.

"Comrade Guofu," Sha Ruijin sat down opposite him and poured him a cup of tea, "are you aware of Hou Liangping's investigation into the Handong Oil and Gas Group?"

“I know a little,” Tian Guofu nodded, picking up his teacup. “I heard he was suspended.”

“Yes, he was taken down within 24 hours,” Sha Ruijin said. “Liu Changsheng’s reaction was very unusual.”

Tian Guofu took a sip of tea, paused for a moment, and then said, "Secretary Ruijin, you suspect..."

“I’m not doubting it, I’m basically certain,” Sha Ruijin said, his tone calm but heavy. “Liu Changsheng’s approval of the transfer of the Qingshan gas field was not a normal work decision, but an exchange of interests.”

Tian Guofu nodded, showing no surprise.

Having worked in the Discipline Inspection Commission for so many years, what hasn't he seen?

“But,” Tian Guofu said, “Liu Changsheng is the provincial governor, and he’s about to retire. If we take action against him, it will have a huge impact. And what about the central government…”

“Don’t touch him for now,” Sha Ruijin interrupted him. “Investigating the provincial governor requires reporting to the central government and going through layers of approval, which is a very complicated process. Moreover, taking action rashly could very well lead him to fight to the death, resulting in a lose-lose situation.”

"So what are you going to do?"

Sha Ruijin pondered for a moment, then tapped his teacup lightly with his fingers: "The Zhao family is the starting point of a thread. As long as we pull on this starting point, we can pull out the whole thread."

"what do you mean……"

“We’ll start with the Zhao family,” Sha Ruijin said. “We won’t investigate Liu Changsheng directly, but rather the Zhao family’s businesses. The Qingshan gas field is important, but it’s only one of their many assets. I believe the Zhao family has more than just this one business in Handong.”

Tian Guofu nodded: "Indeed, the Zhao family has a deep presence in Handong over the years, with interests in energy, real estate, finance, and many other fields."

"How much do you know about the Zhao family's businesses?" Sha Ruijin asked.

“Not many,” Tian Guofu thought for a moment, “but there is one I am quite clear about, in Lüzhou.”

“Luzhou?” Sha Ruijin’s eyes lit up.

Luzhou, the stronghold of the Han University gang.

“Yes, Luzhou Food City,” Tian Guofu said. “It’s a huge project, covering 500 acres, with a total investment of 2 billion yuan.”

"Is this project related to the Zhao family?"

“The mastermind is Zhao Ruilong,” Tian Guofu said in a low voice.

Sha Ruijin nodded: "Is there a problem with this project?"

“There are big problems,” Tian Guofu said, counting on his fingers. “First, the land was acquired at a low price. The appraised value was 800 million yuan, but the actual transaction price was only 500 million yuan. Second, the project was approved very quickly. From acquiring the land to starting construction, it took less than half a year. Third, and most importantly, the pollution was extremely serious, and the environmental impact assessment did not meet the standards, yet it still passed the approval.”

Upon hearing this, Sha Ruijin's eyes sharpened.

"How can environmental impact assessments that don't meet standards be approved?"

“Yes,” Tian Guofu said, “The food court is right next to Crescent Lake, and the lake water has been polluted. The local people have a lot of complaints and have reported it many times, but the complaints have been suppressed.”

Who pressed it?

“The Luzhou Municipal Party Committee and Government,” Tian Guofu said, “say it’s a key project and they want to support the development of enterprises.”

Sha Ruijin sneered: "Does being a key project mean you can pollute the environment? Does it mean you can disregard the opinions of the people?"

“The Discipline Inspection Commission has also received reports,” Tian Guofu continued. “The current director of the Luzhou Development Zone, Yi Xuexi, has reported problems with the Crescent Lake Food City to us many times, but they have all been suppressed.”

"why?"

“Because Luzhou is the territory of the Han University gang,” Tian Guofu said, “the Luzhou Food City was approved by Secretary Yuliang back then.”

Sha Ruijin nodded, already having made up his mind.

“Comrade Guofu,” he said, “I would like to go to Luzhou with you.”

Tian Guofu was taken aback: "You're going in person?"

“Yes,” Sha Ruijin said, “Such a large project with such serious pollution, it is normal for me, as the provincial party secretary, to go and investigate.”

Tian Guofu understood.

Sha Ruijin is going to personally get involved, starting with the Luzhou Food City, and pull out the Zhao family line.

“Okay, I’ll arrange it right away,” Tian Guofu said. “Also, when we get to Luzhou, would you like to meet this Yi Xuexi?”

“Okay,” Sha Ruijin nodded, “but don’t make a fuss. Just say I’m going to Luzhou to conduct research and investigate the economic development. Don’t say anything else.”

"Understood." Tian Guofu stood up. "Then I'll go prepare."

After Tian Guofu left, Sha Ruijin sat alone in his office, looking through Luzhou's documents.

Luzhou, the private territory of the Han University gang.

Previously, Qi Tongwei recommended Dong Dingfang to serve concurrently as vice governor, but he suppressed the nomination. However, he couldn't suppress it for long.

If the personnel appointments are frozen and frozen for any longer, it will completely offend these cadres.

He plans to convene a Standing Committee meeting after returning from his research trip to Lüzhou to address personnel appointment issues.

By the way, let's bring up the matter of Luzhou Food City, stir things up, and give these local bullies a scare.

Chapter 154 Another Standing Committee Meeting

Three days after Sha Ruijin and Tian Guofu returned from their research trip to Lüzhou, the Provincial Party Committee convened a special Standing Committee meeting.

What makes this meeting special is that it includes one additional person—Qian Wenzhao, the secretary-general of the provincial association.

Qian Wenzhao was a veteran of the local faction, having served as the Party Secretary of Lüzhou City, Gao Yuliang's predecessor. However, more than twenty years later, he had long since retired to a secondary position, remaining merely a bureau-level secretary-general of the CPPCC, frustrated and unfulfilled for many years. Approaching retirement, he chose to pledge allegiance to Sha Ruijin, paving the way for the next generation.

In the meeting room, the Standing Committee members arrived one after another.

Sha Ruijin chaired the meeting and got straight to the point: "Today, we're going to dissect a sparrow."

As soon as he finished speaking, Secretary Bai Jingwen walked to the front of the conference room and hung up the first map.

It was a yellowed planning map, the edges of which were somewhat torn, but the lines on the map were still clear.

"Who here is familiar with this map?" Sha Ruijin looked around.

Li Dakang raised his hand without hesitation: "Secretary Sha, I know him well."

Sha Ruijin: "Then you can tell everyone about it."

Li Dakang got up and walked to the map.

"This is a road planning map of Jinshan County from 1992," Li Dakang pointed to the map, "which used to hang in Room 101 of the Jinshan County Party Committee Guesthouse. Its owner was Yi Xuexi, then the Party Secretary of Jinshan County. At that time, I was the county head."

The meeting room fell silent, and everyone looked at Li Dakang.

Li Dakang began to recount that past event: how he and Yi Xuexi built roads under pressure, how they pushed forward kilometer by kilometer despite financial difficulties, and how they persevered in the face of doubt.

And then the final incident happened, and Yi Xuexi took the fall.

He did not mention Wang Dalu.

At this time, Wang Dalu had already been detained by the inspection team for bribing him through Li Jiajia. Li Dakang did not want to mention this name at the Standing Committee meeting.

After the explanation, Li Dakang returned to his seat.

Sha Ruijin nodded: "Comrade Yi Xuexi is courageous and responsible. It is precisely because of cadres like him that we have retained an outstanding member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee."

That's very clear.

Li Dakang, I'll protect him.

Everyone present understood this implication.

Gao Yuliang's eyes flickered, but he maintained his refined smile.

Bai Jingwen put away the map of Jinshan County and replaced it with a second one—the transportation planning map of Daokou County.

"Who is familiar with this map?" Sha Ruijin asked again.

Two people raised their hands this time.

Qian Wenzhao, Secretary-General of the Z Association, and Qi Tongwei.

Sha Ruijin laughed: "Oh, it seems that little Daokou County is not so simple after all. Which of you two would like to speak first?"

Qian Wenzhao smiled gently: "Let me start. When Vice Governor Qi was in charge of Daokou, Yi Xuexi had already left. I'm talking about something from even earlier."

Qi Tongwei nodded with a smile, without saying a word.

Qian Wenzhao began to recount: The previous Party Secretary, Li Duohai, ran a large-scale business, which led to heavy debts and even bankruptcy for various units in Daokou County; after Yi Xuexi was promoted from county head to Party Secretary, he led the county to engage in labor export, sending construction teams to major cities in batches.

"During the most difficult times, he was always among the people," Qian Wenzhao summarized. "From then on, organized construction teams from Daokou County entered major cities, giving Daokou a much-needed boost. This also played a pivotal role in Vice Governor Qi's later development of Daokou's tourism industry."