signingbooks Chapter 34: Killing Two Birds with One Stone, Hou Liangping's "Lesson 1"
Chapter 34: Killing Two Birds with One Stone, Hou Liangping's "Lesson 1"
Qi Tongwei took the oil paper package.
He didn't open it immediately, but instead gently stroked it with his fingers.
He could sense Cai Chenggong's trembling hand and resolute gaze as he handed over the item.
This is a businessman making a desperate gamble, betting his entire fortune.
"very good."
Qi Tongwei nodded.
"Mr. Cai, from now on, your safety is my responsibility."
He summoned Chen Hai.
"Take Boss Cai to the station's safe house for 24-hour protection."
"Until this matter is resolved, he is not allowed to contact anyone, and no one is allowed to contact him."
"yes!"
Chen Hai immediately accepted the order.
Cai Chenggong thanked Chen Hai profusely and followed him away.
He knew that from the moment he handed over this "pledge of allegiance," his life was already tied to that of Director Qi before him.
Only Qi Tongwei remained in the office.
He then slowly opened the oil paper package.
Inside was a small notebook with a black cover and a seemingly ordinary voice recorder.
He first opened the notebook.
Above, in symbols that only Cai Chenggong himself could understand, every single transaction between him, the Shanshui Group, and related officials was meticulously recorded.
The time, place, amount, and person in charge are all included.
This is a Death Note, a book capable of causing countless deaths.
Qi Tongwei pressed the play button on the voice recorder again.
Immediately, a noisy background sound and several intermittent conversations came from inside.
"...Boss Cai, don't worry, as long as you transfer the shares of Dafeng Factory to us, I guarantee that the land in the High-tech Zone will definitely be yours..."
That was Gao Xiaoqin's voice—charming and alluring.
"...Hey Cai, don't push your luck! My dad is Zhao Lichun! In Handong, there's nothing I, Zhao Ruilong, can't do!"
That was Zhao Ruilong's voice—arrogant and brutal.
A cold killing intent flashed in Qi Tongwei's eyes.
He digitized all of these things and stored them on that encrypted USB drive.
Then, he picked up his phone and dialed Hou Liangping's number.
……
At this time, the Handong Provincial Procuratorate.
Family housing.
Hou Liangping had just visited Mr. and Mrs. Chen Yanshi.
He heard a story about Dafeng Factory from Old Chen that was completely different from the one in the case file.
A story filled with blood and tears, collusion between officials and businessmen, and the helplessness and struggle of ordinary workers.
He was deeply shocked.
His unwavering belief in "procedural justice" appears so pale and powerless in the face of those vivid, bloody realities.
Just as he was feeling troubled, Qi Tongwei called.
"Liangping, come to the Municipal Bureau."
"I have a 'gift' for you."
Half an hour later, Hou Liangping appeared in Qi Tongwei's office.
He stared blankly at the black ledger on his desk and the pen that was playing a recording.
He listened to Zhao Ruilong's lawless shouts and Gao Xiaoqin's step-by-step seduction in the recording.
He looked at the account book, at the shocking records of power-money transactions.
He felt his blood burning.
"Where...where did you get these things?"
Hou Liangping's voice was trembling.
"Given by Cai Chenggong."
Qi Tongwei answered calmly.
Hou Liangping's face showed an extremely complex expression.
There was shock, there was excitement, but more than anything, there was a sense of frustration.
As an elite member of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, he came to Handong and investigated for so long, but couldn't even get to the bottom of it.
Qi Tongwei obtained this crucial evidence, enough to deliver a decisive verdict, in less than a day!
Is this the difference between him and Qi Tongwei?
"Tongwei, with these, we can immediately take action against Zhao Ruilong and Gao Xiaoqin!"
Hou Liangping said excitedly.
Qi Tongwei shook his head.
"No."
"It's not the right time yet."
Why?
Hou Liangping was puzzled.
"Caught red-handed, with irrefutable evidence, what are we waiting for?"
Qi Tongwei walked to the window and looked at the endless stream of cars below.
"Liangping, do you think our only opponents are Zhao Ruilong and Gao Xiaoqin?"
"They are nothing but pawns."
"What we're trying to catch is the person behind them, the one playing chess."
Hou Liangping's heart sank.
He knew who Qi Tongwei was talking about.
Zhao Lichun, the former secretary of the Handong Provincial Party Committee, is now in a high position.
"But...that's too difficult."
Hou Liangping's voice was somewhat hoarse.
"Zhao Lichun has been operating in Handong for many years and is deeply entrenched. These are far from enough to bring him down."
"I know."
Qi Tongwei turned around and looked at him.
"So, I need you to do something for me."
"What is it?"
Qi Tongwei revealed a mysterious smile.
"I want you to take this evidence and 'stir up trouble'."
"What?!"
Hou Liangping was shocked.
"Are you crazy? This will only make them wary and destroy all the evidence!"
"No."
Qi Tongwei shook his head.
"They won't."
"They'll just assume that this is something you, Hou Liangping, found out."
"They will focus all their attention on you."
"They will use every means to deal with you, to put pressure on you, and even to bribe you."
"And I can take this opportunity to quietly tighten my net where none of them can see me."
Hou Liangping was stunned.
He stared blankly at Qi Tongwei, feeling a chill run down his spine.
He now understood the real purpose behind Qi Tongwei's sending him to collect this "gift".
This is hardly a way of giving him credit.
This is clearly using him as a "target"!
Use him, the "imperial envoy" of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, to draw all the enemy's firepower!
This is a clever scheme, killing two birds with one stone!
Hou Liangping felt a surge of anger at being used.
But when he looked into Qi Tongwei's calm eyes, which seemed to see through everything...
His anger gradually subsided.
He knew that Qi Tongwei was right.
This is currently the only feasible solution.
It is also the only way to uproot Zhao Lichun, this towering tree.
"it is good."
Hou Liangping took a deep breath, his eyes becoming incredibly determined.
"I did it!"
"Tongwei, what do you need me to do?"
A satisfied smile finally appeared on Qi Tongwei's face.
He walked over to Hou Liangping and patted him on the shoulder.
"It's very simple."
"You just need to do it as usual."
"Go investigate, go ask, go and run into obstacles."
"Make as much noise as possible, the better."
"Let everyone know that you, Hou Liangping, have come to Handong and are here to bring about earth-shattering changes."
After saying that, he handed the evidence that was enough to ignite the entire Handong region to Hou Liangping.
Hou Liangping took the heavy bag of evidence, feeling as if he were receiving the future of the entire Handong.
He looked at Qi Tongwei, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
He suddenly realized that his college classmate had taught him more than just a lesson about power struggles and intrigue.
It is also the first lesson about how a true chess player should place his pieces.