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

"Nonsense!" Gao Yuliang frowned, his voice becoming stern. "How old is the old man? With his health like that, can he withstand this kind of torment? Tell them not to worry, I will find a way."

Xiao Gangyu felt as if he had been granted a pardon: "Thank you, Secretary Yuliang! With your words, they can rest assured."

Gao Yuliang waved his hand: "You need to keep them calm and make sure they don't cause any trouble. If things get out of control, I won't be able to help you."

"Go ahead and get busy, I have things to do here."

"I understand, I understand," Xiao Gangyu replied repeatedly, but his feet seemed rooted to the ground, showing no intention of leaving, and his face still held a hesitant expression.

Gao Yuliang glanced at him: "Is there anything else?"

Xiao Gangyu rubbed his hands together, forced a smile, and lowered his voice even further: "Secretary Yuliang, there's something... I've been keeping it to myself for many years, but I've never had the chance to tell you."

"What is it?" Gao Yuliang picked up his teacup, his expression unchanged.

"As you know, Liang Lu and I have been married for so many years, but our relationship is... in name only. We don't have any children. I think... I think..." Xiao Gangyu stammered.

Gao Yuliang took a sip of tea, not even lifting his eyelids: "Want a divorce?"

"Nothing can escape your discerning eye." Xiao Gangyu chuckled dryly. "What do you think of this matter..."

“Divorce is a personal matter. You can report it to the organization. Why are you asking me?” Gao Yuliang said calmly.

Xiao Gangyu's expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly explained, "I just... I just wanted to ask for your opinion."

Gao Yuliang finally raised his eyes and looked at him calmly, but Xiao Gangyu felt a sense of pressure: "Seeing that the Liang family's ship is about to sink, are you thinking of jumping ship?"

"No! Absolutely not!" Xiao Gangyu's forehead was covered in sweat. "It's really just a disagreement, it's been going on for a long time..."

Gao Yuliang gently interrupted him, his tone unreadable: "My little boat, the 'Han University Gang,' is about to sink. Are you... also planning to jump ship?"

Xiao Gangyu's face turned pale instantly, and he stood up abruptly: "Teacher Gao! You've misunderstood! I'm completely loyal to you, and I have absolutely no such thoughts!"

"What do you mean, 'Teacher Gao'?" Gao Yuliang's voice was stern. "When you're working, you should refer to your job title."

"Yes, Secretary Yuliang." Xiao Gangyu lowered his head, his voice tight. "I was promoted by you, and I have no ulterior motives towards you!"

Gao Yuliang looked at him for a few seconds, then suddenly sighed, his tone softening but carrying a deeper meaning:

“Old Xiao, you must remember this—politics without human touch is short-lived. You’re too deeply tied to the Liang family. Even if you wanted to jump ship now, no one would believe you. Instead, you’d push your own people away and become truly isolated.”

He was referring to the Liang family on the surface, but his words were actually aimed at the "Han University Gang".

Xiao Gangyu nodded repeatedly, his back already soaked with cold sweat: "Secretary Yuliang's teachings are correct, I've remembered them, I've remembered them."

"Go ahead," Gao Yuliang waved his hand.

Xiao Gangyu breathed a sigh of relief and almost walked backwards out of the office.

The door closed gently.

Gao Yuliang leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and finally revealed a trace of weariness that was hard to hide on his face.

A short while later, Luo Xuejun walked in quietly, placed a document on the table, and reported in a low voice: "Secretary, Dong Dingfang, the Secretary of the Luzhou Municipal Party Committee, is at the Provincial Government, reporting to Governor Qi."

Gao Yuliang opened his eyes and looked at Luo Xuejun's face: "Did Dong Dingfang inform you beforehand about coming to the province?"

Luo Xuejun shook his head: "No."

A brief silence fell over the office.

Gao Yuliang slowly stood up, walked to the window, and looked down at the sparse vehicles and people coming and going in the provincial party committee compound. The afterglow of the setting sun cast a long shadow of him on the smooth floor.

After a long silence, he sighed softly, his voice carrying a deep, poignant sense of loss and the impermanence of things.

"People's hearts have fallen apart."

"The team is getting harder to manage."

Chapter 110 Handover

As night fell outside the window, the lights in the provincial party committee building came on one by one.

Gao Yuliang sat behind his large desk, with a copy of the History of Ming Dynasty open in front of him, but he hadn't turned a single page in a long time.

He took off his glasses and placed them on the pages of the book, the lenses reflecting the soft light of the desk lamp.

Luo Xuejun silently withdrew, leaving him alone to face the power structure he had cultivated for many years.

When morale is low, it's hard to lead the team.

This statement is like a sharp scalpel, cutting straight to the heart.

How could he not understand? The choices of Dong Dingfang and Xiao Gangyu were but a drop of water, yet they reflected the direction of the entire ocean.

The underlying issue is that many members of the Han University faction no longer believe Gao Yuliang can control anything.

Power flows downhill like water, instinctively chasing after the future victors.

Qi Tongwei is the second victor, whose true nature has been revealed to everyone.

Gao Yuliang's phone rang; it was Qi Tongwei calling.

"Professor Gao, are you in your office?" Qi Tongwei's voice was as gentle as ever. "This morning, Dong Dingfang from Luzhou gave me a briefing on the situation in Luzhou. I also have some questions about Luzhou's economic restructuring that I'd like to ask you. Do you have time?"

Gao Yuliang listened to this somewhat hypocritical reason and a bitter smile appeared on his lips.

What is this? This is a calculated move. Qi Tongwei openly told him—I have already won over Dong Dingfang, and the power structure of the Han University clique is changing.

"Okay, I'm here." Gao Yuliang's voice was calm.

Half an hour later, Qi Tongwei pushed the door open and came in.

He was dressed in a well-fitting dark gray overcoat, with a smile on his face, appearing as calm and composed as ever.

"Teacher, I'm sorry to bother you so late," Qi Tongwei said politely, meeting Gao Yuliang's gaze openly.

Gao Yuliang put his glasses back on and stared intently at his former student, his eyes as clear as a mirror, reflecting no trace of emotion.

"Tongwei, you didn't discuss Dong Dingfang's trip to the provincial capital with me beforehand." Gao Yuliang cut to the chase.

Qi Tongwei smiled slightly, his tone as casual as if discussing the weather: "Teacher, my summons of Dong Dingfang falls within the authority of the Executive Vice Governor. I am in charge of the day-to-day operations of the government and need to hear reports on the economic work of various cities and prefectures. This shouldn't require your approval, should it?"

"You know that's not the point." Gao Yuliang's voice was deep.

"I know." Qi Tongwei's smile faded, his gaze becoming frank and sincere. "Teacher, let's have an open and honest talk. What does Dong Dingfang's visit to me essentially represent? It represents a shift in the cohesion within the Han University group. But this isn't something I intentionally sabotaged—it's just reality."

Gao Yuliang turned around, his back to Qi Tongwei, and looked out the window at the night view once more.

Qi Tongwei continued, "Teacher, you're a smart man. When Sha Ruijin was parachuted in as the top official, and when I, as the executive vice governor, took charge of the government's daily operations, this situation was already predetermined. Handong could only accommodate two major forces: Shajiabang and the future Qi family clique. There was simply no room for a third party to survive."

"You now have two paths." Qi Tongwei's voice wasn't loud, but it was full of penetrating power. "The first is to hold onto the Han University faction and let it decline naturally. In the end, your students and disciples will either go their separate ways or be forced to choose between Sha and Qi—but in any case, they will never gather again under the banner of 'Han University.' The foundation you spent more than ten years building will crumble."

Gao Yuliang's shoulders stiffened slightly.

"Secondly," Qi Tongwei's voice softened slightly, yet remained firm, "you voluntarily handed over the Handan University clique to me. I will preserve the 'Handan University' name; your students and your hard work will not be in vain. On the contrary, I will make the Handan University clique the most cohesive group in Handan's political arena. In this way, although you will no longer be at the center of power, your legacy will be properly protected."

Gao Yuliang slowly turned around to face Qi Tongwei. His eyes were complex—the stubbornness of an old man, the rationality of a politician, and the subtle emotional entanglement of a mentor for a student.

"You're forcing me." Gao Yuliang's tone was calm.

"Yes," Qi Tongwei didn't deny it, "but this is politics. Teacher, you know better than anyone how far feelings and relationships can go; ultimately, they must be grounded in reality and interests."

Gao Yuliang sat down at his desk, tapping his fingers lightly on the surface, his eyes vacant.

"Do you know what I'm most afraid of?" After a long while, Gao Yuliang finally spoke, his voice very low.

Qi Tongwei didn't speak, he just listened quietly.

“What I fear is—I entrusted everything to you, but your foundation isn’t here; your future lies elsewhere. What will I do after you leave Handong?” Gao Yuliang raised his head, looking directly at Qi Tongwei with a deep sense of desolation in his eyes. “I entrusted the team I built to you, only to have you become an outdated, forgotten old man, just like the current Party Secretary Liang Qunfeng.”

"The arena of power is the most forgetful place."

Gao Yuliang's voice carried a sense of desolation, reflecting the deepest fear of a powerful figure—not death, but oblivion.

Qi Tongwei leaned forward, looking directly at the teacher:

"You're right, I will eventually leave Handong, but that will be twenty or thirty years from now before I leave the center of power. In my time, I, Qi Tongwei, will make everyone know what the Handong University clique is and who Gao Yuliang is. Every member of this group will benefit from your discerning eye back then, and even after you retire, you will be respected."

He paused, his tone becoming more earnest: "This isn't just empty rhetoric; it's the most fundamental principle of political career. Power is like a flame; it can devour everything, but it can also illuminate everything. You've chosen to stand with me not to hold power forever, but to ensure your political legacy isn't forgotten by history."

Gao Yuliang closed his eyes and remained silent for a long time.

Qi Tongwei remained silent, patiently waiting. He knew Gao Yuliang well—this teacher's weakness lay not in his lust for power, but in his pursuit of "meaning."

He needs to be sure that his life has not been in vain, that his efforts and management will not be easily denied, and that what he has left behind will be inherited and remembered.

After a long while, Gao Yuliang opened his eyes. The stubborn light in his eyes had faded considerably, replaced by a sense of world-weary acceptance.

"Did you orchestrate Dong Dingfang's affair?" Gao Yuliang's voice became steady.

"Not entirely." Qi Tongwei's answer was honest. "I simply had my secretary call the Luzhou Municipal Party Committee, but whether he comes or not is his decision. He came because he also clearly understood the situation. Teacher, this isn't just my personal wish, but the trend of history."

Gao Yuliang nodded: "Yes, it's the trend of history. When I was young, I read history and I never understood why so many officials clung to their positions and refused to step down, even though they knew they should. It wasn't until I actually came into contact with power that I understood it was human nature."

"Tongwei, let me ask you, are you really in such a hurry? I'm retiring next year. Now that you're back, I'll definitely hand over the Han University Gang to you. Would I hand it over to someone else? Can't you even wait a year? And why are you doing this instead of talking to me directly?"

Qi Tongwei was deeply moved by his teacher's words.

Gao Yuliang's intention to protect and support him remained profound.

He sat up straight and spoke frankly: "Teacher, let me be frank with you. The reason I'm in such a hurry to take over the Han University gang is because I don't want to follow the established procedures in my governance of Handong. I don't want to wait until Sha Ruijin leaves before taking over—I want to send him away ahead of time."

Gao Yuliang frowned slightly: "Tongwei, you were a bit impatient when you were young, but now that you've reached this level, why are you making the same old mistakes again? Directly clashing with the top leader doesn't leave a good impression on your superiors."

Qi Tongwei shook his head, his eyes burning: "Teacher, you see, although I'm still relatively young, my birthday falls in an awkward year. According to the 'seven up, eight down' rule, I'll be exactly fifty-eight when the leadership changes in eleven years, which is a very delicate age. Even if I could advance further, I'd be sixty-eight in twenty-one years, and then there would be no chance at all. So I actually only have a sixteen-year window of opportunity. If I just wait for Sha Ruijin to leave step by step, being a step behind means wasting a whole five years. Teacher, I can't afford to wait."

Gao Yuliang paused for a moment, then sighed softly, his gaze towards Qi Tongwei filled with a complex understanding: "I never expected... your goals to be so ambitious."

"Since we have this opportunity, why not give it a shot?" Qi Tongwei's tone was firm and unwavering.

Gao Yuliang was silent for a moment before saying, "I am your teacher. Why didn't you tell me directly? It concerns your future. How could I not support you?"

Qi Tongwei's voice lowered, becoming sincere:

“The central government has been strengthening the power of the top leader. Even if I were determined, there are too many variables, and I have no absolute certainty. What I’m doing is to create the image of a ‘strong takeover of the Handong University faction.’ In case… in case I fail and am transferred to another province or ministry, while Sha Ruijin remains in Handong, it won’t have too much of a negative impact on you.”

Today's Handong is no longer on the same trajectory as before. Without his suicide as a drug enforcement hero and public security chief, it's uncertain whether Sha Ruijin will cross the line again or lose the trust of his superiors.

Although he himself has a powerful background, Sha Ruijin is no simple character either.

Openly clashing with the top leader is ultimately a taboo subject.

Before starting, we should first "cut ties" with Teacher Gao to a certain extent, so that if we fail, the impact on Gao Yuliang will be much smaller.

In addition, since Professor Gao has already stepped down from his position and his accounts have been closed, he should be able to maintain a peaceful retirement life.