In name only: I will break the chess game in Handong

Wang Yunxiong fell silent, while Hou Liangping took a deep breath and inserted the key into the lock. He didn't know what was inside either, but that's part of the fun of solving cases – the unknown and the mysterious!

With a click, the door opened.

What comes into view is a huge living room.

This is a large single-level apartment of about 300 square meters.

There were no furniture or appliances, only paintings and calligraphy hanging on the walls and porcelain and other items on the floor.

At this moment, Wang Yunxiong's face was ashen; he knew he couldn't escape.

Hou Liangping walked up to a delicate little porcelain bottle and carefully picked it up.

"Cloisonné enamel, wow, what a fine piece!"

Looking at the bottom of the bottle again, wow! Made in the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty!

Chapter 427 Pulling out the radish brings out the mud along with it

"Comrade Yunxiong, aren't you going to explain yourself?"

Hou Liangping stared straight at Wang Yunxiong.

Wang Yunxiong simply lowered his head and remained silent.

The fact that the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection was able to accurately identify Wang Yunxiong, who owned this large apartment, clearly demonstrates that any explanation is pale and powerless.

"Secretary Hou, is there any need for further explanation?"

“There’s really no need for that. Come on, come back to the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection with me and explain everything.”

After saying that, Hou Liangping left first.

He had no interest in watching the inventory of the antiques and paintings in the room any longer. After a sigh, Wang Yunxiong slowly followed, led by two staff members from the Discipline Inspection Commission.

It was exactly 12 noon.

Inside the provincial discipline inspection commission's interrogation room, Wang Yunxiong sat in the middle chair, his hands already handcuffed.

Opposite him, Hou Liangping was still in charge of the interrogation.

Not far away, Jia Renli watched this scene unfold.

He truly didn't expect that Hou Liangping would find evidence in just a few days of investigation.

The valuation of those antiques and paintings is still underway.

But the current estimated value has already exceeded 20 million, plus a large apartment...

This is no small case!

"Wang Yunxiong, what's the situation with those antiques, calligraphy and paintings, and that large apartment? Will you confess yourself, or will our Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection continue its investigation?"

If you explain yourself clearly and cooperate, our provincial discipline inspection commission may consider treating you leniently.

Hou Liangping put it very directly.

Wang Yunxiong was well aware that whether he confessed or not, it was only a matter of time before the provincial discipline inspection commission found out the truth. Of course, he was willing to cooperate if he could get a shorter sentence.

“Secretary Hou, those antiques and paintings, including that house, were all illegally received by me over the years.”

I'm not entirely sure of its exact value. I like antiques and calligraphy, and the developers catered to my tastes by providing me with these items. The house was specifically designed for me to store these antiques and calligraphy.

"Our provincial discipline inspection commission will inquire with the developer about the housing issue, and the valuation of the antiques and calligraphy is already halfway done."

In the initial assessment, half of the estimates were fake...

Of course, there are also genuine ones, with a value exceeding twenty million, which is an exceptionally large amount.

"Yes, Secretary Hou, I know the value of these antiques and paintings even if you don't say it."

"You know I'm still greedy?"

Hou Liangping stared intently at Wang Yunxiong, who then let loose and sneered, "Secretary Hou, the officialdom is a big dye vat. Sometimes, whether we are greedy or not is not up to us. If you can catch me, I will plead guilty and accept punishment."

However… your provincial discipline inspection commission can only bully me; am I not also a scapegoat?”

"What do you mean!"

Hou Liangping squinted.

"What do you mean? Secretary Hou, let me put it this way, the first time I embezzled and accepted bribes was twelve years ago, when I had just been promoted to director of the land use department of the Municipal Land and Resources Bureau."

It was around that time that I discovered our bureau chief was the biggest corrupt official. Twelve years ago, Director Pang handed me a million yuan in cash and told me to take as much as I could, because that's how you become "one of us"!

I refused... I'm not interested in money, and I also have ideals and a sense of justice.

I reported it to the Provincial Department of Land and Resources, and guess what happened?

Hou Liangping shook his head: "Go on!"

"The next day, our bureau chief found out and warned me that if I messed around again, I would lose my job as section chief."

Later I found out that not only our bureau chief was corrupt, but even the head of the department was corrupt. All crows are black, and I didn't want to lose my position as section chief.

"So you took it?"

"How dare I not take it?"

The two stared at each other, and Hou Liangping slowly exhaled a breath of stale air and said, "That's not a reason!"

However, you can rest assured about one thing: our provincial discipline inspection commission staff are also conducting an investigation into Pang Bo. Retirement is not a shield against corruption; what goes around comes around!

"Haha, Secretary Hou, don't just investigate Pang Bo. Why don't you also investigate Wu Qiguang, the former director of the Department of Land and Resources who later served as vice governor and retired?"

"Don't worry, they will all be investigated!"

Now I'll ask you a question, but there's something I need to remind you of: the question I'm about to ask is very important! Please answer it carefully, as Governor Chen is personally concerned about it!

Do you understand?

Upon hearing this, Wang Yunxiong was visibly taken aback.

"Secretary Hou, please ask!"

"Yes, ten years ago, there was a piece of land in the old city that your Land and Resources Bureau was responsible for bidding on."

"The piece that the Li family acquired?"

"You guessed right! Did you receive any bribes for this land?"

Wang Yunxiong looked at Hou Liangping, who had stood up and was resting his hands on the table. He wasn't stupid; he knew very well that Hou was asking this question to make a fuss about the land that the Li family had acquired.

"Of course!"

"What did you collect?"

"I remember very clearly that the Li family was very generous at the time, with a painting and a Ming Dynasty incense burner as evidence."

Of course, I only got a small share; Director Pang and the other leaders in the department received much more!

"You really want us to capture Pang Bo and the others in one fell swoop?"

"They dragged me into this abyss... If I'm finished, they won't escape either!"

"Alright, we'll grant your request, but let me remind you one more time: are all the things you just said true?"

"It's all true! Secretary Hou, you may not be aware, but the situation back then was terrible. Although they said he was accepting bribes, it was always done under the guise of 'tea money'."

Any company that wants to participate in the bidding process must pay a "tea money" fee to qualify.

Without properly bribing everyone involved, there's no chance of even getting the bid approved.

"I understand, I'll stop asking here for now."

Hou Liangping closed his notebook, and the staff member in charge of taking notes gave him an OK sign.

As Hou Liangping left the interrogation room, he saw Jia Renli standing not far away.

Hou Liangping jogged forward and greeted him first, "Secretary Jia, what brings you here!"

"Comrade Liangping, I heard everything during the questioning just now. If Wang Yunxiong is not lying, it also involves retired department-level and deputy provincial-level cadres!"

The problem is getting serious.

"Yes, Secretary Jia, so what do you think... should we continue the investigation?"

Hearing this, Jia Renli rolled his eyes and said, "Are you scared?"

"Don't worry, I just wanted to ask you first..."

"Investigate! Why don't we investigate! These guys are like gluttons, insatiable, thinking they'll be fine once they retire. We'll not let them have their way!"

Everything you eat has to be thrown up!

Those real estate developers aren't any better; they've shifted the cost of bribery onto ordinary people. In the end, what they're giving back is still the people's hard-earned money!

"With your words, Secretary, I can now conduct my investigation with peace of mind!"

"Okay, you should investigate that Pang Bo first!"

We still have the authority to deal with him.

Since Comrade Xiao Ai hasn't left Guangdong Province yet, let's hand over Wu Qiguang's case to the working group for investigation.

"Yes, Secretary!"

Chapter 428 Meng Shuhai's Anger

Meanwhile, that same afternoon, Meng Shuhai, the Party Secretary of Guangzhou, learned through his secretary that Wang Yunxiong had been taken away by the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection.

And it was Hou Liangping who took it away!

This displeased Meng Shuhai, who was a member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee of Guangzhou. Although Wang Yunxiong was a provincial-level cadre, he was subject to the supervision and investigation of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection.

But the fact that city officials were taken away for investigation without any prior notice, without consulting him, the city party secretary, made Meng Shuhai feel like he had been slapped in the face.

More importantly, if nothing is found about Wang Yunxiong's detention, that's fine, but if some problems are discovered, several ongoing bidding projects in Guangzhou will definitely be affected.

Of course, what angered Meng Shuhai the most was Hou Liangping. Although Hou Liangping was the deputy secretary of the provincial discipline inspection commission and concurrently the secretary of the municipal discipline inspection commission, in Meng Shuhai's eyes...

Hou Liangping was his subordinate!

Meng Shuhai felt his authority was being challenged because Wang Yunxiong had not been reported to him.