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

However, Qi Tongwei knew about this in his previous life, and now he was not satisfied with following the established path. He wanted more.

Faced with Gao Yuliang's aggressive gaze, Qi Tongwei smiled, a frank smile: "That's not true. I haven't received any information about that. My just-prepared deduction was just offhand; you're overthinking it, teacher."

He paused, then said in a relaxed tone, "If this news were true, I wouldn't need to come to Handong. I still have plenty of other options."

At this point, it was naturally impossible to tell Teacher Gao. On the one hand, he hadn't received any clear information; on the other hand, he couldn't tell him, fearing the butterfly effect would be too great and cause things to spiral out of control.

His suicide in his previous life forced his superiors to close the net prematurely, and he cannot afford to let that affect them in this life.

Gao Yuliang stared into Qi Tongwei's eyes, and Qi Tongwei naturally met his gaze, his eyes firm and unwavering.

Gao Yuliang couldn't see any flaws and breathed a slight sigh of relief, but he was still tense.

He nodded, his voice weary: "It's not the best. Otherwise, the entire Handong region would be engulfed in bloodshed."

Qi Tongwei smiled and said, "Yes."

He picked up his teacup and changed the subject: "Let's not talk about this anymore, it's too heavy. By the way, I was late for the meeting today because I ran into Hou Liangping on the way. I told him we'd like to come to your place for dinner tonight. You should call Teacher Wu and ask her to cook a couple more dishes, that little rascal has a big appetite."

Gao Yuliang was both amused and exasperated; the tense atmosphere finally eased.

On the other side, in Sha Ruijin's office.

Sha Ruijin sat behind his desk, holding a teacup, and asked Tian Guofu, "Comrade Guofu, why didn't Li Dakang raise his hand at the beginning of the meeting regarding Hou Liangping's appointment?"

This was his first time convening a Standing Committee meeting and his first time making a proposal; he had already raised his hand to indicate his support.

Li Dakang, who had been actively cooperating with him in the early stages of the meeting, suddenly hesitated and did not raise his hand in agreement immediately, so he naturally wanted to find out why.

Tian Guofu is the secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission and is well-informed.

He laughed upon hearing this: "I know about this. There's a key witness in the Ding Yizhen case who's now under the control of the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Li Dakang sent his subordinate, the police chief, to demand his release, but they couldn't."

Sha Ruijin smiled, a knowing glint in his eyes: "No wonder he didn't raise his hand; he was just putting on a show for me."

At the meeting, Li Dakang, in coordination with Tian Guofu, expressed his opposition to Gao Yuliang, which was something Sha Ruijin wanted to see. He also didn't want the two major factions within the Zhao family gang to become too close.

Before the vote at the previous meeting, Wu Chunlin had already read Hou Liangping's resume, clearly stating that he graduated from the Department of Political Science and Law of Handong University.

Li Dakang's refusal to raise his hand, insisting that Gao Yuliang reiterate the matter, was a clear indication that this was Gao Yuliang's man.

This was to plant a seed in Sha Ruijin's mind: in case Hou Liangping found out anything that was detrimental to Li Dakang, Sha Ruijin would also have to wonder: could this be Gao Yuliang taking revenge for personal reasons?

After explaining the situation, Tian Guofu added, "Secretary Sha, Qi Tongwei ultimately added Dong Dingfang to the promotion list, wasn't that...?"

Sha Ruijin waved his hand, his tone calm: "It's alright. From my observation, he still knows his limits. When he took over the members of the Han University gang before, he only took over some local cadres, and didn't take any of the core members of the political and legal system. This time, he only nominated a vice governor, which is obviously because he wants to develop within the government."

"Even if there are any actions, they will have to wait until next year when the new leadership officially takes office."

He picked up his teacup, his voice tinged with admiration: "He's a master at managing the economy. I don't want to clash with him unless absolutely necessary, lest I appear intolerant. I'm still counting on him to boost the economy of Handong, hoping to benefit from his influence."

Chapter 130 Qi Tongwei's Wise Advice

At 4:30 PM, Qi Tongwei finished reviewing the last document, glanced at his watch, and pressed the intercom: "Xiao Huang, contact Director Hou; we'll go to Teacher Gao's house together."

Huang Qiaosong returned less than two minutes after leaving, standing hesitantly at the door: "Governor, Director Hou said he went on a field mission this afternoon, and instead of going to his office, he went straight to Secretary Yuliang's house. He's... here now."

Qi Tongwei paused in his work of organizing documents, without even lifting his eyelids: "Understood."

Huang Qiaosong left and quietly closed the door.

Qi Tongwei filed the document, a smile playing on his lips.

He does have some cleverness, but that's about it.

Hou Liangping didn't want to get into his official car in public, afraid of being seen and perceived as having taken sides? Fine, at least he has some awareness. But the problem is, if your boss says he'll take you along, even if the place is right downstairs from your house, you have to meet him in the car first. There's no reason for you to slip away first.

Besides, it's only 4:30 now. The governor is still in his office, and you, Director Hou, are already at Teacher Gao's house? Is this considered fieldwork or leaving early?

Fieldwork is flexible, but you can't say it outright. A better way to phrase it is to call half an hour in advance and say you're delayed by fieldwork, stuck in traffic on the way back, and worried about being late, asking if you could go directly to Professor Gao's house. The goal is the same, and the way you phrase it sounds much better.

Qi Tongwei shook his head, got up, and picked up his coat. He'd had too smooth a life in the first half, and had missed out on some necessary trials; sooner or later, he'd have to pay the price.

However, he didn't care. Mature people only make choices, not education. Besides, Hou Liangping was already off his shortlist.

Twenty minutes later, the car came to a smooth stop in front of Gao Yuliang's villa. Qi Tongwei told the driver to go back: "I'll go home after dinner, no need to wait."

The driver responded and left. Qi Tongwei straightened his cuffs and rang the doorbell.

The nanny opened the door, and upon seeing him, immediately stepped aside to let him pass: "Governor Qi, Secretary Yuliang and Director Hou are in the living room, and Teacher Wu is also here."

In the living room, Gao Yuliang and Hou Liangping were sitting on the sofa talking, while Wu Huifen was refilling their teapots. When Qi Tongwei entered, all three of them stood up.

"Tongwei's here." Gao Yuliang greeted him with a smile, patting him on the shoulder. "Was the road congested?"

"It went well, everything was fine." Qi Tongwei took off his coat and handed it to the nanny, then sat down on the single sofa. "Liangping arrived early."

A hint of unease flashed across Hou Liangping's face, but he quickly smiled and said, "I happened to be on my way this afternoon on a field assignment, so I came over first."

Seeing the atmosphere was getting a little awkward, Wu Huifen quickly smoothed things over: "We're all family, no need for such formalities. Tongwei, tea or coffee?"

"Tea is fine."

Gao Yuliang sat down again, looked at the two students, and suddenly sighed, "Sitting here reminds me of your time at Han University. Back then, you two were the most popular people in the department, with so many girls eyeing you."

Wu Huifen chimed in, "That's right. I remember one year at the school anniversary gala, Tongwei, you performed in a play, and the girls in the audience went crazy. Several of them even came to our house afterwards to ask about you."

Qi Tongwei smiled and said, "That's all ancient history."

Hou Liangping laughed along, "My senior was indeed very successful back then, I was far behind. But later, my senior went to the National Development and Reform Commission, and I went to the Supreme People's Procuratorate, so we each went our own way."

"It's all about serving the people." Gao Yuliang picked up his teacup, his gaze sweeping over the two men. "Now that you two are both in Handong, it's quite a coincidence."

The group chatted amongst themselves, reminiscing about their time at Han University. Wu Huifen mentioned how strict Gao Yuliang was in class, and Qi Tongwei and Hou Liangping eagerly shared their embarrassing stories of being criticized, gradually warming up the atmosphere.

After chatting for about ten minutes, Wu Huifen checked the time, stood up, and said, "You three can chat, I'll go check on the kitchen. The braised pork is simmering, I need to keep an eye on the heat, and I'll also stir-fry a couple of other dishes."

"Thank you for your hard work, Madam," Hou Liangping said quickly.

Wu Huifen waved her hand: "The housekeeper has already prepared the ingredients; I'm just cooking a little something. You guys chat, don't mind me."

As soon as she left, the atmosphere in the living room seemed to lose its lubricant, instantly becoming serious. The warm and cozy memories from just moments before instantly turned into an awkward silence as the three of them stared at each other.

Logically, at a time like this, the person with the least seniority should step up and liven things up, but Hou Liangping sat up straight. Although he sensed something was amiss, seeing Qi Tongwei there, he didn't know what to say for a moment.

Qi Tongwei picked up his teacup, took a sip, put it down, and looked at Hou Liangping: "Liangping, how's work at the Anti-Corruption Bureau? Are you settling in well?"

This is a classic tactic used by elders to make conversation during holidays—asking about work and studies.

Many times, there really is nothing to talk about. It's like when an unfamiliar relative brings their child over, and there's really nothing to say except to ask about their academic performance. As a result, they become the "annoying relative" in the eyes of the next generation.

But at this moment, Qi Tongwei's question about work was quite appropriate.

Gao Yuliang is in charge of political and legal affairs, and Qi Tongwei was one of the people who promoted Hou Liangping's transfer to Handong. It is reasonable for him to ask about his work.

Moreover, giving a subordinate a chance to report on their work in private is actually a sign of respect—it allows you to showcase yourself or confide in someone and ask for help. In a political banquet, you would have to carefully serve the entire party or give a thoughtful gift to earn such an opportunity.

Hou Liangping immediately perked up: "The work is going well, everything is going smoothly. I've worked at the Supreme People's Procuratorate for many years, so I have experience in anti-corruption; there are no problems."

Even though Qi Tongwei was acting very friendly, Hou Liangping still subconsciously wanted to show his best side when faced with Qi Tongwei's gaze.

But what does his newly promoted deputy director-general position mean in front of Qi Tongwei? He can only talk about his most prized platform—to show that he has been trained on a large platform and has seen the world.

Even after he finished speaking, he felt somewhat unsure of himself. After all, Qi Tongwei had many years of experience at the National Development and Reform Commission.

Qi Tongwei didn't hold it against him. It's like a kid showing off their toy car; would you take out your own car keys?

He smiled and continued to steer the conversation: "Yes, Liangping, you have indeed made significant achievements at the Supreme People's Procuratorate. The Zhao Dehan case that Secretary Sha analyzed at this morning's Standing Committee meeting was handled by you, wasn't it?"

When the topic turned to his professional field, Hou Liangping's eyes lit up, and he said, feigning modesty, "Yes, this is my last case at the Supreme People's Procuratorate."

Qi Tongwei leaned back, feigning interest: "This is a classic case of a petty official embezzling a fortune. So much cash, piled up on an entire wall—it's rare to see anything like it nationwide. I'm no longer involved in law enforcement; I've switched to economics, and I'm quite curious about this kind of thing. Could you tell me more about it?"

This hit the nail on the head. Hou Liangping immediately launched into a long, detailed account, from receiving the tip-off to investigating and collecting evidence, and then how he led Zhao Dehan to search place after place, breaking down his psychological defenses one by one. He spoke with great enthusiasm, gesturing wildly as he spoke.

Qi Tongwei would occasionally interject, asking about details, which made Hou Liangping even more engaged.

Gao Yuliang sipped his tea slowly, watching the two students talking in front of him. His eyes were full of memories, as well as some complicated emotions that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Just as they were getting into the conversation, Wu Huifen's voice came from the kitchen: "Yuliang, my niece Yike just called and said she wanted to come visit us. I thought it would be okay if I invited her to have dinner with us."

Gao Yuliang frowned. Lu Yike had been bothering him lately about Chen Hai, which annoyed him. But since Wu Huifen had spoken, he couldn't refuse, so he nodded, "Okay, let's eat together."

Qi Tongwei and Hou Liangping were guests, so naturally they had no objections.

Wu Huifen poked her head out from the kitchen, smiling, and said, "Liangping, Yike is now under your supervision, so I'll have to trouble you to take good care of her."

Hou Liangping quickly waved his hand, "Teacher's wife, you're too kind. It's only right. Besides, I'm new here and still need Comrade Yike's cooperation. She's the one who's looking after me."

Gao Yuliang thought so too. The current director was still sitting there; surely Lu Yike wouldn't bring up the matter of reinstating Chen Haiguan in front of Hou Liangping? He should at least have some sense of propriety.

Wu Huifen exchanged a few more pleasantries before turning and returning to the kitchen.

Her interruption disrupted the conversation, and the three of them lost interest in continuing their old stories, resulting in a brief silence in the living room once again.

Qi Tongwei put down his teacup, looked at Hou Liangping, and his tone became serious: "Liangping, Zhong Lao and I have both discussed your situation. At your age, you're in the prime of your career, and I understand your desire to achieve something in Handong. However, the situation in Handong is very complicated right now, so you need to be cautious in your actions."

Upon hearing this, Gao Yuliang chimed in, "Tongwei is right. There's nothing wrong with handling cases, but you also need to learn to protect yourself. Look at Ding Yizhen, he had already prepared his plane ticket abroad, yet he had an accident at that crucial moment. Isn't that too much of a coincidence? It's bound to arouse suspicion."

Hou Liangping's expression turned serious: "There must have been someone tipping him off at the highest levels of Handong Province. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been such a coincidence that Chen Hai had been monitoring him for several days without incident, and just when it was time to report back and prepare to arrest him, Ding Yizhen suddenly received the news, escaped, and then had an accident."

Gao Yuliang: "I also had Gangyu check all the phone calls made from base stations near the Provincial Party Committee during that period, and none of them were made to Ding Yizhen."

Hou Liangping's eyes flashed: "It's also possible that the call was made to someone else, and that person relayed the message."

The air seemed to freeze for a second after those words were spoken.

It's not that it's impossible, but it's not appropriate to keep focusing on this point at this time.

Gao Yuliang's face darkened: "Then who do you suspect? Me, or your senior brother Tongwei? Li Dakang? Xiao Gangyu, Ji Changming? Sha Ruijin? These are the only people present."

Hou Liangping pursed his lips: "I heard from Chief Prosecutor Ji that you seemed a bit hesitant at the scene that day, asking for instructions and giving reports, and even discussing some kind of study plan with Secretary Sha on the phone?"

Gao Yuliang raised his eyes, his gaze sharp as he stared at Hou Liangping: "What does Lao Ji mean? What do you mean by me hesitating? What do you mean by procrastination? He didn't need to report this to me in the first place. Since he did, I had to ask for instructions—that's the rule! How is that procrastination?"

Without a document from the Supreme People's Procuratorate, Chen Hai had no authority to arrest a department-level official, but Ji Changming did. However, how could a cunning old fox like Ji Changming take responsibility for this himself? He had to report, and Gao Yuliang had to report—that's the survival rule in officialdom.

Hou Liangping added, "What Chief Prosecutor Ji means is that you're too...bookish."

Gao Yuliang laughed angrily: "What do you mean by 'bookish'? I've been away from Handong University for over twenty years, I'm long gone! It's you old Ji who's so cautious and sneaky, I think he's the one with the most problems!"

The Ding Yizhen case is the biggest breakthrough in Handong, and Hou Liangping is hoping to use it to uncover a bigger fish. Therefore, he inevitably wants to use this opportunity to test Gao Yuliang's attitude.

Gao Yuliang was about to continue when Qi Tongwei suddenly interrupted, "Liangping, I know Lao Ji well too. What you just said doesn't sound like him at all."

Gao Yuliang was taken aback, then realized what was happening. Ji Changming was about to retire, extremely cautious; why would he say such things in front of Gao Yuliang's students?