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

Gao Yuliang was even more surprised: "Didn't Secretary Sha just promote Yi Xuexi to be in charge of this matter? He didn't do a good job? So you want me to take charge personally? I have no objection."

Tian Guofu felt like he had swallowed a fly; he couldn't spit it out or swallow it down.

He couldn't very well say that the people Sha Ruijin promoted weren't capable enough, could he? That would be undermining Sha Ruijin, wouldn't it? Especially since Yi Xuexi was a newly established role model, and he was promoted exceptionally, so his evaluation had to be handled with utmost care.

Sha Ruijin couldn't hold back any longer. He put down his pen and said, "Yi Xuexi's work in Luzhou is going quite well. The demolition of the food court is also proceeding in an orderly manner. The Provincial Party Committee and the Political and Legal Affairs Commission are busy, so we won't trouble Comrade Yuliang to come."

Gao Yuliang immediately turned to Sha Ruijin, the sharpness on his face vanishing instantly, replaced by that familiar, refined smile: "Okay, I'll follow Secretary Sha's arrangements."

Chapter 170 Democratic Life Meeting (End)

Gao Yuliang's posture was impeccable.

But in reality, even if Sha Ruijin really put him in charge of the food court demolition, he wouldn't have any objections.

On the contrary, the demolition work will proceed very smoothly—even more smoothly than anyone expected.

No matter how complex the profit chain behind the food court is, as long as Gao Yuliang is personally in charge, no one dares to openly jump out and obstruct it.

In his previous life, Qi Tongwei could force Zhao Ruilong to return the money when he got angry. As long as Gao Yuliang made up his mind, Zhao Ruilong wouldn't dare to say a word against it.

But this is not what Sha Ruijin wanted.

What he wanted was to "make a show of force."

Putting Gao Yuliang in charge of the demolition is like inviting a tiger out of the mountains. If the mountains are empty, who will be intimidated? If the tiger is gone, what will be used as a target?

Sha Ruijin intends to preserve the mountain of food courts.

The meeting room was silent for a few seconds.

Sha Ruijin looked around and asked, "Does anyone else want to speak?"

Everyone shook their heads.

Sha Ruijin also sighed slightly. Although he had the overall situation under control, his influence over these Standing Committee members was still only superficial. To truly control them as if they were his own limbs, he still had a long way to go.

This is why, even though Tian Guofu and Li Dakang both had problems, he still relied heavily on them.

Unfortunately, Tian Guofu had always worked within the discipline inspection system, lacking experience in inter-level power struggles and possessing limited abilities.

Li Dakang is indeed extremely capable, but he has too many personal problems. Gao Yuliang's previous remark, "My daughter has also returned from abroad, and her financial situation can be investigated," was a veiled warning to him. This has made him hesitant to speak up now, lest he get himself into trouble.

The situation could have ended there, but Sha Ruijin was unwilling to let the democratic life meeting, which he had been preparing for for so long, end so abruptly.

He couldn't help but personally intervene: "Comrade Yuliang, I have another question. The pollution problem in the food court was exposed ten years ago. When the public repeatedly reported it, why didn't you push for a thorough rectification?"

Gao Yuliang said with a heavy heart, "Secretary Sha, I have to apologize to the Provincial Party Committee for this. Since I was transferred to the Provincial Party Committee, I have not returned to Luzhou. I have also forwarded the reports I received to the Luzhou Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government three times, but the replies I received were all that after investigation, the pollution problem of the food city was within the controllable range, so I ignored it."

"It's also my fault. I lacked a sense of responsibility for the projects I was in charge of and didn't personally go to check them out on-site."

Gao Yuliang added, "These official documents can be found in the archives."

The democratic life meeting of the Handong Provincial Committee had reached this point, and everyone knew it was time to end it.

Gao Yuliang's answer just now was watertight.

When Sha Ruijin asked him why he hadn't pushed for rectification over the past ten years, he neither shirked responsibility nor resisted, but laid everything out on the table—three official documents were transferred, all of which were archived and verifiable, and the local authorities replied that the situation was "under control." With these words laid bare, no one could find fault with them.

As the deputy secretary of the provincial party committee, he has already fulfilled his duties by receiving a report from the public and transferring it to the local authorities for handling according to procedure. To insist that he personally go to the scene to investigate is simply nitpicking.

Sha Ruijin knew that Gao Yuliang had been prepared for this for a long time.

This old man, who had been navigating the political landscape of Handong for decades, was intimately familiar with every weakness of his own and had long since armored each one. From the moment he brought up the food court issue, it had already been brought under his control.

Just as Sha Ruijingang was about to end the meeting, Tian Guofu suddenly interjected, "Then the Luzhou Municipal Party Committee at the time also bore responsibility. How could they give such an irresponsible reply? Was there any serious investigation?"

Qi Tongwei immediately spoke up: "Indeed, Comrade Dong Dingfang bears an unshirkable responsibility for this. I suggest that the Provincial Party Committee instruct him to make a profound self-criticism."

Dong Dingfang was the then Secretary of the Luzhou Municipal Party Committee.

He was just recommended by Qi Tongwei to be the vice governor.

Tian Guofu opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately kept it closed.

He originally wanted to give Gao Yuliang's subordinates another warning for Sha Ruijin, since they all knew that this was the stronghold of the Han Da Gang in Luzhou City.

But they forgot that Lüzhou is now ruled by the Qi family.

Sha Ruijin sighed inwardly.

He glanced at Tian Guofu, then at Qi Tongwei, and finally fixed his gaze on Gao Yuliang's face. That refined face remained calm and composed, as if everything that had just happened had nothing to do with him.

"Let's leave the food court matter here." Sha Ruijin's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority. "Does anyone else have a comment?"

The meeting room was silent for a few seconds.

Nobody responded.

Sha Ruijin nodded and began to summarize. His tone regained the calm and solemnity expected of a meeting chairperson:

"Comrades, today's democratic life meeting was very good and successful. Everyone opened their hearts and spoke frankly with each other, and carried out serious and earnest criticism and self-criticism, achieving the effect of blushing and sweating, and detoxifying and curing diseases."

"Comrade Yuliang's self-analysis was very insightful, and his reflections on the food court issue were also very sincere. The speeches of the other comrades were also very targeted, reflecting their attitude of being responsible for the cause of the Party and for their comrades. We must maintain this atmosphere."

"The democratic life meeting is not just a formality, but a meeting to truly solve problems. The issues raised today, whether they involve individuals or work, must be carefully reviewed after the meeting, and rectification measures must be formulated and implemented within a specified time. The General Office should keep good records, form minutes, and report or archive as appropriate."

Meeting adjourned.

Everyone stood up and tidied up the water glasses and notebooks on the table.

Li Dakang was the first to leave the meeting room, walking hurriedly as if something was chasing him. Liu Changsheng and Wu Chunlin walked out side by side, talking in hushed tones.

Gao Yuliang calmly closed his notebook, stood up, gave a slight bow to Sha Ruijin who was walking over, and wore his signature refined smile: "Secretary Sha, I'll head back now."

Sha Ruijin nodded, his gaze lingering on Yu Liang's face for a moment, and smiled, "Okay, Comrade Yu Liang, you've worked hard."

The two passed each other by.

In the corridor, Qi Tongwei was already waiting at the corner. When Gao Yuliang came out, he naturally followed, half a step behind, maintaining just the right distance—the posture of a student following behind a teacher.

The two walked one after the other through the long corridor and into the elevator, remaining silent the entire way.

Only after entering Gao Yuliang's office and closing the door did Qi Tongwei relax. He solicitously picked up Gao Yuliang's teacup, filled it with hot water from the water dispenser, and handed it to him with both hands.

"Professor Gao, you are still as sharp as ever, and your charm is as undiminished as ever."

Gao Yuliang took the teacup, leaned back on the sofa, and looked slightly smug. He pushed up his glasses and said in a rare relaxed tone, "What's so special about this? Comrade Guofu's words... well, quite mild."

Qi Tongwei couldn't help but laugh.

These words were spoken subtly, but everyone understood the meaning—in Secretary Yu Liang's eyes, Tian Guofu's offensive power was indeed insufficient.

He asked with some curiosity, "I haven't been in Handong for long. Was the struggle in Handong that intense before?"

Gao Yuliang's eyes were somewhat vacant, as if he were lost in distant memories. After a few seconds, he came back to his senses and shook his head: "Back then... never mind, why am I bringing this up with you? Secretary Dakang is busy with his own affairs today and has some concerns, otherwise I could let you see what he's capable of."

Qi Tongwei nodded.

He had heard about Li Dakang's aggressive tendencies. In his previous life, Li Dakang's remark about a "long-lived family" at the Standing Committee meeting almost made him the laughing stock among the high-ranking officials of Handong.

That seemingly decisive and unconventional "Secretary Dakang" is, when he gets serious, as skilled with words as anyone else.

But today, Li Dakang remained silent throughout.

Gao Yuliang seemed unwilling to continue the discussion. He put down his teacup and looked at Qi Tongwei: "Tell me more about that section chief from the Science and Technology Department you mentioned last time."

Qi Tongwei was slightly taken aback.

After the first two democratic life meetings, Professor Gao spent more time communicating with him, and the content was more in-depth. Gao Yuliang would analyze the situation in Handong and the positions and weaknesses of each person in the provincial party committee in detail.

This time, however, the meeting was more heated than the previous two, and Gao Yuliang was unwilling to discuss it in detail.

It seems that Teacher Gao's mind is indeed not on this.

Qi Tongwei composed himself and began to report the information he had gathered one by one. He provided details about the background, resume, family situation, and work performance of the section chief in the Science and Technology Department.

Finally, he pulled out a photo from his phone and sent it to Gao Yuliang.

The man in the photo is in his early forties, handsome, with a gentle demeanor. He wears gold-rimmed glasses, and his smile bears a resemblance to Gao Yuliang in his youth.

Gao Yuliang stared at the photo for a long while before slowly saying, "Let's arrange a time for them to meet."

Qi Tongwei nodded and agreed.

Family is what Teacher Gao cares about most right now.

In contrast to the mundane family conversations in Gao Yuliang's office, the atmosphere in Sha Ruijin's office was much more somber.

Bai Jingwen brewed tea for the two of them and then quietly left. Tian Guofu sat on the sofa, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and broke the silence first:

"This professor is no ordinary person."

“How could he be someone who could defeat Zhao Lichun’s secretary, Li Dakang, gain Zhao Lichun’s trust, and inherit Zhao Lichun’s power in Handong? He’s not someone to be trifled with.” Sha Ruijin’s voice was calm. “Do you think he only succeeded because he approved a food court project?”

Tian Guofu was silent for a few seconds, then asked, "So, regarding the demolition of the food court, which direction should we proceed from next?"

Sha Ruijin turned around, walked back to his desk, but did not sit down. He rested his hands on the desk, his gaze deep.

"Gao Yuliang is cautious in his actions and has a clean record, so it's unlikely that he will be implicated in Zhao Lichun's case."

Tian Guofu nodded.

This was something both of them knew perfectly well.

The food court incident was procedurally flawless and financially untraceable; at most, it could only be considered a "decision-making error"—and such a mistake wouldn't cause any serious damage to someone in his position.

It has nothing to do with Zhao Lichun.

Yes, that is Sha Ruijin's real goal.

His arrival in Handong wasn't to arrest a few high-ranking officials to establish his authority. His mission was to purge Zhao Lichun's influence while maintaining stability in Handong.

Zhao Lichun had cultivated his influence in Handong for many years, and his protégés and former subordinates were scattered throughout the province. From Luzhou to the provincial capital, from politics and law to the economy, the "Zhao family clique" had a presence everywhere. Gao Yuliang was the strongest branch of this powerful family.

Now it has become the main trunk.

The task seems daunting.

But Sha Ruijin knew in his heart that the actual situation was not that difficult.

The biggest reason is simple—Gao Yuliang is about to step down to a less prominent position, and Zhao Lichun is also approaching retirement age. A person about to leave the center of power cannot win people's hearts. Which high-ranking official at the vice-provincial level or above would be willing to tie their political future to a sinking ship?

"When people leave, the tea cools"—this phrase is never a joke in officialdom.

Therefore, since Sha Ruijin's arrival, he has encountered almost no significant resistance. The Standing Committee's control has been much smoother than he had anticipated.