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

Zheng Xipo was taken aback: "What did you say?"

“You said you support the government’s work,” Chen Yanshi said. “You said you are model workers of Dafeng Factory, veteran workers, and have feelings for the factory, but you support the government’s work even more. You said the demolition went smoothly, the resettlement was satisfactory, and you thanked the Party and the government.”

Zheng Xipo fell silent.

Chen Yanshi looked at him and asked, "What? You don't want to?"

Zheng Xipo raised his head and gave a bitter smile: "Old Chen, I'll say anything you want. But those words you want me to say, I... I can't say them."

Chen Yanshi's face darkened: "Can't say it? What do you mean?"

Zheng Xipo said, "Old Chen, do you know how Dafeng Factory was demolished? How the workers were driven away? I know it was for the greater good, I know it was something that had no other choice. But you want me to say we support it, to say we are grateful... I can't say it."

Chen Yanshi stared at him, remained silent for a few seconds, and then said, "Zheng Xipo, your son is still inside."

Zheng Xipo's expression changed.

Chen Yanshi's voice was calm, but every word came down like a stone: "Zheng Qian's case is still being investigated by the Public Security Bureau. If you want him to get out sooner, you'd better cooperate. If you want him to stay for a few more months, there's nothing I can do."

Zheng Xipo stood there, his hands trembling.

He looked at Chen Yanshi with an indescribable look in his eyes—anger, grievance, despair, and a deep sense of helplessness.

Chen Yanshi did not avoid his gaze.

“Xipo,” he said, his voice softening slightly, “I know you’re upset. But this is for the greater good. Secretary Sha came, saw the site, and listened to what you had to say. He has a good impression of Dafeng Factory. It will be easier to talk things over in the future. Do you understand?”

Zheng Xipo remained silent for a long time.

Then he nodded, his voice hoarse: "I understand. Old Chen, I'll go back and find someone."

He turned around and slowly walked out the door.

Chen Yanshi stood by the window, watching his figure disappear into the corridor, and remained silent for a long time.

He knew he had done something dishonorable.

But that's the taste of power!

He had no choice.

This was the last time he paved the way for his son.

Chapter 164 Investigation of Dafeng Factory

When Sha Ruijin's Coaster drove into the old site of Dafeng Factory, it was exactly nine o'clock in the morning.

The sun was shining brightly, the early summer sun illuminating the vacant land, now leveled by demolition, casting shadows of broken bricks and tiles across the ground. Not far away, a few old factory buildings, not yet demolished, stood forlornly, their walls still bearing the faded, faded red slogans of yesteryear—"Learn from Daqing in Industry."

Sha Ruijin got out of the car and looked around.

Bai Jingwen followed behind, while Chen Yanshi was already waiting at the door, with dozens of people standing beside him—all old workers from Dafeng Factory, wearing faded old work clothes, some even wearing safety helmets, with restrained expressions on their faces.

“Secretary Sha.” Chen Yanshi greeted him and shook hands. “Thank you for making this trip. These are all veteran workers from Dafeng Factory. They heard you were coming and waited here early this morning.”

Sha Ruijin nodded, his gaze sweeping across the faces of the old workers.

Their faces were weathered, their hands rough, and their eyes held a complex mix of fear, tension, and a hint of anticipation.

He took a few steps forward, shook hands with each of the workers, and chatted with them warmly.

Suddenly, a roar of machinery could be heard.

The sound was coming from those old factory buildings.

It wasn't just one machine, but the sounds of several operating simultaneously—looms, sewing machines, cutting machines—all mingling together, buzzing and rumbling, like a small factory operating at full capacity.

Sha Ruijin stopped and looked at Chen Yanshi.

Chen Yanshi looked somewhat embarrassed: "Secretary Sha, this..."

"What happened?" Sha Ruijin asked.

Zheng Xipo stepped forward and mustered his courage to say, "Secretary Sha, we're doing the work ourselves. The factory is going to be demolished, but we old folks have to find something to do. We've taken on some small jobs, making work gloves and uniforms, to earn some pocket money."

Another person chimed in: "These are the machines we used to use back in the day. The factory has been seized by the court and we're not allowed to touch them. But we figured we were going to dismantle them anyway, so we figured we might as well keep them running. If you're not happy about it, we'll stop now."

Chen Yanshi's face darkened, but he couldn't say anything in front of Sha Ruijin.

Sha Ruijin didn't say anything, but walked towards the factory buildings.

On the main gate of the factory, there is a seal affixed by the Jingzhou Intermediate People's Court, while the windows on the side are wide open, with several long wooden planks draped over the windowsill, obviously for workers to enter and exit.

Through the window, a smell of engine oil mixed with cotton cloth wafted out.

Inside the workshop, more than twenty machines were in operation, with one or two experienced workers standing in front of each machine, some operating them, some inspecting them, and some moving finished products.

Chen Yanshi, lagging behind, seized an opportunity to secretly ask Zheng Xipo, "What's going on?"

Zheng Xipo said with a wry smile, "I only found out recently. I was already considered a traitor by the workers of Dafeng Factory because of the demolition incident. No one told me about this."

Chen Yanshi retorted, "Isn't this ridiculous? Just because the court seal is on the door doesn't mean you can leave through the windows! The assets inside the factory have already been seized. What will happen if they are damaged or lost?"

Zheng Xipo could only sigh.

Sha Ruijin stood by the window and looked out for a while.

Then he turned around and asked the old worker who had followed him, "How long has the court seal been on?"

The veteran worker said, "It's been more than three months."

Sha Ruijin walked to the gate and saw the white seals with the red seal of the Intermediate People's Court of the city on them. They were somewhat damaged, but still firmly stuck to the door.

He then looked at the busy workers and asked, "Aren't you afraid of being inspected if you work like this every day?"

The old worker gave a bitter smile: "I'm afraid. Secretary Sha, but we old guys had our years of service bought out before, so our pensions are low. The demolition compensation isn't much either, and our children aren't having an easy time either, they're barely making ends meet. We have to find a way to survive."

Sha Ruijin was silent for a few seconds, then said to Bai Jingwen, "Tear off the seal."

Bai Jingwen was taken aback: "Secretary Sha, this is a seal from the court..."

“The court’s seal is to protect creditors’ rights,” Sha Ruijin said. “But now the factory is going to be demolished, the equipment will soon be disposed of as scrap metal, and the debts have long been settled. What’s the point of keeping this seal? To make these old workers work in fear every day?”

He paused, then looked at the workers: "Workers have the right to work."

Bai Jingwen didn't say anything more. The workers standing nearby were stunned at first, and then someone shouted, "Secretary Sha said to tear it up, so we'll tear it up!"

The crowd surged forward, and a dozen or so people rushed toward the gate. They easily tore off the seal with their bare hands.

The seal is just a piece of paper; what truly stops the workers is the public power it represents.

But now this public power has been covered up.

An old worker tore off the last seal, turned around, and bowed to Sha Ruijin. Then came the second, the third—dozens of people bowed in unison.

Sha Ruijin didn't say anything, but walked forward and helped the old worker at the front to his feet.

“No need for that,” he said. “This is the right to work that the law has granted you.”

Chen Yanshi led the applause, and the workers, realizing what was happening, joined in.

The atmosphere at the scene became lively.

The inspection continued. Sha Ruijin walked around the workshop, looked at the machines in operation, and chatted with several veteran workers. He asked them what kind of work they were doing, how much each piece cost, how the sales were, and if they had any difficulties. The veteran workers were initially reserved, but gradually opened up and started talking all at once.

The atmosphere gradually warmed up.

The inspection ended at 10:30 a.m. As Sha Ruijingang prepared to get into his car, he suddenly noticed two people standing beside him—Chen Hai and Hou Liangping.

They had arrived sometime earlier and were standing quietly outside the crowd, watching silently. Chen Yanshi also noticed Hou Liangping and frowned slightly.

Sha Ruijin stopped, glanced at them, and then said to Bai Jingwen, "Please have them both come over."

Bai Jingwen nodded and walked over quickly. Chen Hai and Hou Liangping followed him and stood in front of Sha Ruijin.

Sha Ruijin looked around; the workers were still standing not far away, curiously peering in their direction. He said to Chen Yanshi, "Old Chen, may I have a word with you in private?"

Chen Yanshi nodded.

The four of them walked to a relatively quiet corner.

Sha Ruijin didn't rush to speak. Instead, he looked at Hou Liangping and then at Chen Hai. His gaze was calm, but there was an inexplicable sense of oppression within that calmness.

"Hou Liangping," he finally spoke, his voice low but each word clear, "how long have you been suspended?"

Hou Liangping was taken aback, not expecting Sha Ruijin to ask this first. He paused for a moment and then said, "It's been almost a month."

“One month.” Sha Ruijin nodded. “What have you been doing for the past month?”

Hou Liangping was silent for a few seconds, then said, "I'm reviewing and reflecting on what I did wrong."

Sha Ruijin looked at him, a hint of interest in his eyes: "Have you figured it out?"

"I've figured it out a bit," Hou Liangping said. "My mistake was being too hasty and taking action without fully understanding the situation."

Sha Ruijin offered no comment, only asking, "So, do you still want to investigate?"

Hou Liangping answered without hesitation: "Yes."

"why?"

Hou Liangping said, "Because there are problems with that case. The transfer price of the Qingshan Gas Field is obviously too low, the background of Shanshui Group is not clean, and Liu Xinjian has done so many shady things. This case must be thoroughly investigated, otherwise state-owned assets will be lost in vain."

Hou Liangping did not mention Liu Changsheng's name, but everyone knew that the investigation into the Qingshan gas field was aimed directly at Liu Changsheng.

But Hou Liangping knew that Sha Ruijin had come to him to investigate Liu Changsheng; otherwise, why would a provincial first-level official like himself have the time to see him?

He was a minor deputy director-level official who was directly punished and suspended from his post by the provincial authorities.

After listening, Sha Ruijin didn't speak immediately. He paused for a few seconds, then said, "Do you know what investigating this case means?"

Hou Liangping said, "I know."

"Then you still dare to investigate?"

Hou Liangping raised his head, looked at Sha Ruijin with a firm gaze and an upright expression: "Secretary Sha, when I came down from the Supreme People's Procuratorate, I wasn't thinking about promotion or making money. I just wanted to handle cases, to handle the cases that needed to be handled. If I'm afraid to investigate because I'm afraid of offending people, then what kind of prosecutor am I?"

Sha Ruijin looked at him, remained silent for a few seconds, and then the corner of his mouth twitched slightly—it was a very faint smile, so faint that it was almost invisible.

“Okay,” he said. “Then go back and make preparations. Don’t make the Qingshan Gas Field public. We need to be mindful of the methods and approaches we use.”

Hou Liangping nodded: "I understand."

Sha Ruijin turned to Chen Hai.

Chen Hai had been silent since he stood up, head down, seemingly lost in thought. Sha Ruijin looked at him for a few seconds and asked, "Chen Hai, what about you?"