Nominal: Hou Liangping blocking the door? He was slapped away!

Meanwhile, in Handong Province, thousands of miles away.

The atmosphere in the provincial party committee's meeting room was somewhat delicate.

The meeting was chaired by Zhao Lichun, the provincial party secretary, and the topic was the economic plan for the new year.

But no one's mind was on that.

Just before the meeting began, two major pieces of news reached Handong one after the other.

First, the Central Committee officially appointed Comrade Shen Zhong as a member and standing committee member of the Handong Provincial Committee of the CPC, and deputy secretary of the Party Committee of the Provincial Military Region.

Second, Hou Liangping, the "anti-corruption vanguard" of the Supreme People's Procuratorate's Anti-Corruption Bureau in Beijing, was expelled from the Party and dismissed from public office for serious violations of discipline and law, and has been transferred to a military court.

According to rumors, all of this was caused by the newly appointed Standing Committee member Shen, who stirred up a storm in Beijing for his wife.

During a break in the meeting, Gao Yuliang, deputy secretary of the provincial party committee and secretary of the political and legal affairs commission, held his iconic thermos cup and gently blew on the tea leaves.

He glanced at Li Dakang, the Party Secretary of Jingzhou City, who was sitting not far away, also deep in thought, and said to the secretary-general beside him in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft:

"This newly arrived Standing Committee member, Shen, is no ordinary person. He hasn't even arrived in Handong yet, and he's already stirred up a storm in the capital."

"It's a powerful dragon."

Li Dakang's ears twitched.

He didn't participate in the discussion, but his brows furrowed even more.

Raptors?

He's not concerned about whether it's a dragon or not right now.

What he was concerned about was that He Xia, the soon-to-be-appointed district head of Hexi District, had a standing committee member who ranked even higher than himself.

His future control over Jingzhou is likely to face a huge uncertainty.

The turmoil in the capital was abruptly brought to a halt with the issuance of documents bearing the official red seal.

The atmosphere in the family compound has returned to its usual warmth.

He Xia was organizing two large suitcases in the living room, sorting out everyday clothes and books.

Her movements were earnest and focused, as if she wanted to pack all the turmoil and unease she had experienced in the past few days into a corner of her suitcase and seal it away forever.

She would stop every now and then to glance at Shen Zhong, who was sitting on the sofa reading documents.

The man sat quietly, dressed in simple home clothes, with a document about the economic structure and major industries of Handong Province on his lap. Soft light shone on his profile, softening the sharpness that usually intimidated people.

This man, when everyone thought she was about to fall into despair, used the most forceful and unreasonable method to hold up a sky for her.

Not only did they clear away all obstacles, but they also expanded and broadened that space.

Han Dong Province, member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee.

Even now, these words still pop into He Xia's mind from time to time, making her feel that everything is so unreal.

Just as she was lost in thought, a sudden ringtone broke the silence of the living room.

It was the personal cell phone that Shen Zhong had placed heavily on the coffee table.

He Xia glanced at the caller ID; it was an unfamiliar number with the location listed as Handong.

Shen Zhong put down the documents in his hand, picked up his phone, and answered the call.

A cheerful and enthusiastic male voice came from the other side.

"Comrade Shen Zhong, haha, this is Liu Changchun! Welcome, a warm welcome to work in our Handong!"

Liu Changchun, the second most important figure in Handong.

Shen Zhong responded politely with a few words.

Liu Changchun spoke enthusiastically on the phone, saying that everything was arranged and that he would personally host a banquet to welcome Shenyang Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd. as soon as the plane landed.

"Governor Liu, you're too kind. I'm new here and there's still a lot of work to get familiar with, so I won't trouble the province. I'll visit you personally when I arrive," Shen Zhong politely declined the offer.

Not long after I hung up, my phone rang again.

"Secretary Shen, this is Qi Tongwei, Deputy Director of the Public Security Bureau of Handong Province. Have you set your arrival time in Handong? I'll arrange to pick you up from the airport."

Qi Tongwei.

Shen Zhong's eyebrows twitched.

A prominent figure in the Handong Political Science and Law system, and Gao Yuliang's most prized student. A ruthless character who would stop at nothing to climb the ladder.

"What time is your flight? I'll go to the airport to pick you up early! All of us in Handong are waiting to welcome you back!"

He didn't use titles like "Major General" or "Standing Committee Member," but instead addressed him directly as "Secretary," a title that expressed both respect and created a closer connection.

Shen Zhong knew that Qi Tongwei was a man with a keen sense of smell.

This phone call was both a gesture of goodwill and a test.

He wanted to see what his attitude was as a new member of the Standing Committee, and which camp he belonged to.

Shen Zhong neither refused nor agreed to Qi Tongwei's request, only saying that he would contact him again later.

This ambiguous attitude, on the other end of the phone, only made Qi Tongwei more intrigued.

Just as Shen Zhong was answering the phone, He Xia's phone also rang.

It was a call from Wang Cheng, the Party Secretary of Hexi District, Jingzhou City.

Wang Cheng's tone was a bit too enthusiastic. He first congratulated He Xia on her upcoming new appointment, and then asked her with concern when she would arrive so that the district could make preparations in advance and make the welcoming ceremony more grand.

He Xia glanced at Shen Zhong.

Shen Zhong made a gesture to him.

She replied in a tone that was neither humble nor arrogant, just as Shen Zhong had instructed her to.

"Secretary Wang, you're too kind. The specific time hasn't been set yet; we'll follow the organization's arrangements."

After hanging up the phone, He Xia felt a little emotional.

She knew that if Shen Zhong hadn't stirred up this storm in the capital, she, the "parachuted" district head, would never have been facing such a warm face.

She will likely face countless rejections and insincere resistance.

Everything that happened in the capital city was like a gust of wind, already reaching Handong, a thousand miles away.

Hou Liangping, the "anti-corruption vanguard" of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, became a prisoner overnight and was directly transferred to a military court.

The man who started all this, named Shen Zhong, not only escaped unscathed, but was also parachuted into Handong and became a powerful military member of the Standing Committee.

The combination of these two pieces of news creates a terrifying chemical reaction.

Everyone realized one thing.

This newly appointed Standing Committee member, Shen, is extremely powerful, has a terrifying background, and acts in a domineering manner. He is also an extremely protective and tough character.

In an instant, all those in the Han Dong officialdom who were originally prepared to see He Xia make a fool of herself or to give her a hard time all fell silent.

Nobody wants to become the next Hou Liangping.

Even some centrist officials who had previously wavered between the "secretary clique" and the "political and legal system" began to have their own ideas. They tried to extend goodwill to He Xia, who was about to take office, through various channels, hoping to get on the good side of this Standing Committee member Shen in advance and establish a connection with her that was of unknown significance.