Siheyuan: A warm home with wife and children

The wind direction changed throughout Handong the next day.

The mess left for Sha Ruijin didn't get cleaner; instead, it got even more chaotic.

"Why does it have to be at this time? We can't wait any longer. How can we carry out our work in Handong now?"

Originally, as long as he established his authority, subdued the stubborn elements, and opened the door to recruit many retainers, he could easily gain access to the political affairs of Handong and easily take control of the overall situation.

Now look what's happened! The cake of Handong has been smashed to pieces. The cream and the cake base are intertwined, stuck together and inseparable.

With Gao Yuliang and Qi Tongwei's ambiguous attitudes at the top, and the various middle and lower-level departments below filled with anxiety, they remained inactive.

Some people want to take advantage of the situation, while others are worried about the situation changing again and dare not easily take sides.

Secretary Sha Ruijin was left alone again, and the secretaries who had previously sided with him began to drift away.

Previously, he had high hopes for and valued Li Dakang, the former core member of his secretarial gang.

These past few days I've started to play tricks on him, making excuses and never reporting my work to him. I'm just hanging around him all the time.

Boom!

Sha Ruijin slammed his fist heavily on the table, his face extremely grim.

If things continue like this, how will he fulfill his old leader's instructions, and how will he open up new possibilities and consolidate control over Handong?

"If you ask me, Qi Tongwei is the key."

Tian Fuguo astutely pointed out the crux of the problem: Qi Tongwei, who controls the largest violent organization in Handong, must be won over.

“I know he’s the key, but I’ve tried to contact him several times, but he’s always found excuses to avoid me. What can I do if you extend an olive branch and he doesn’t take it?”

"Does this mean I should lower my head and beg him?"

Sha Ruijin wouldn't stoop to that level, much less do it.

If he really did that, what would become of him as the top leader? How could he maintain any authority afterward? Who would respect him as the top leader?

Forget about the future; he doesn't need to work right now.

"If you ask me, we should let the Zhong family go and find that person."

"Which one?"

"Who else could it be but Qi Tongwei's powerful backer!"

Tian Fuguo didn't actually want to make this suggestion, as it would be too high-profile to expose him to the public eye this time.

This doesn't match the tone he set. Before coming here, he had already decided to just be Comrade Ruijin's vanguard. Wherever he points, we'll go. We won't show off at all, but we won't miss out on any benefits.

But now, Sha Ruijin is clearly in a predicament, stuck in a rut.

If he wasn't given a heads-up, Tian Fuguo was afraid all his efforts would be wasted. He had invested heavily this time, and it was his only chance to climb the ranks after joining the department.

If he missed it, Tian Fuguo would have no hope left.

At the height of his political power, how could he be willing to let his path forward come to an end?

Moreover, the Zhong family is still waiting for his good news.

Removing Qi Tongwei and using him to attack Yang Jianguo is the Zhong family's way to break the deadlock.

The two sides are already inextricably linked, sharing both prosperity and adversity.

As for whether Qi Tongwei has any problems, history is written by the victors.

Once we take him down, we can find problems even if we say he has issues.

Qi Tongwei was unaware of Sha Ruijin and Tian Fuguo's plans. At that moment, he was visiting his teacher to discuss the future situation in Handong.

"Secretary Sha has arrived, followed by the supervisory secretary. The top leader is holding a sword; the situation has already been decided."

"I don't think so."

Qi Tongwei's words brought Gao Yuliang new hope.

But to Gao Yuliang's surprise, he didn't rush to continue, and instead brought up Meng Jie's trip abroad.

“Teacher Gao, I would also like to ask my senior sister to help take care of the child. She is young and lives alone, so her mother and I don’t have to worry about her.”

"Oh dear, Tongwei, what are you saying?" Wu Huifen said reproachfully, "Why are you being so polite with your teacher Gao? Fangfang will definitely be fine. After Mengjie leaves, I'll talk to Fangfang and ask them to stay together."

Normally, Fangfang takes care of her daily life, and she can also give her some guidance on her studies; these are all no problem.

"Your teacher's wife is so thoughtful. Thank you in advance."

"Hey, you kid." Wu Huifen pointed at him and teased Gao Yuliang, "You're getting more and more polite, and you're even becoming distant with us."

Gao Yuliang always had that calm and collected demeanor. If he talked about something one day, the corners of his mouth would turn up slightly, which meant he was in a very good mood.

At this moment, the corners of his mouth turned up a few degrees, "This is a matter of courtesy, which shows that Tongwei still respects you, his teacher's wife, very much."

"Yes." Wu Huifen nodded seriously, stood up and said, "You guys chat first, I'll go get some dishes. Tongwei will eat here for lunch and have a couple of drinks with your teacher, Gao."

Chapter 900 Gao Yuliang's Path to Progress, The Comedian Sent by the Monkey

Qi Tongwei didn't leave at noon; he stayed at Gao Yuliang's house.

Four delicate side dishes paired with a bottle of foreign liquor seemed a bit out of place, but neither of them complained.

"You just said, not necessarily."

At the dinner table, Gao Yuliang couldn't help but speak first.

"Teacher Gao, what do you think the area above most resembles as Handong right now?"

"Naturally, it should be stable, ideally like when Secretary Zhao was in power, with a booming economy, people living in peace and contentment, and a very positive situation."

“Yes.” Qi Tongwei laughed and nodded, raising his glass to clink with his. “So, whoever can do all three of these things and still maintain stability is the best leader for Handong in the eyes of the higher-ups.”

"Did Sha Ruijin do it?"

Qi Tongwei's questioning made Gao Yuliang begin to examine what had happened during this period.

That's right, Tongwei is right.

Sha Ruijin not only failed to achieve the above three points, but he also barely managed to maintain stability, relying on Tong Wei to keep him from making a fool of himself.

If it weren't for Tongwei, things would be in complete chaos right now.

Sha Ruijin may have supporters, but it's impossible for those above not to have opinions about him; his time is running out.

If he fails to produce results, even if the higher-ups are unwilling, they will have to seriously consider his future.

Is this person still suitable to stay in Handong and lead the team?

In that case—

Gao Yuliang's heart pounded violently a few times, causing an unnatural flush to appear on his usually calm face.

If that's the case, then he still has a chance.

First, Zhao Lichun was eliminated, and then the people selected by the higher-ups were unable to open up a new situation and stabilize Handong, so they were forced to be transferred from their posts.

If such a thing were to happen, no matter how powerful Sha Ruijin's backers are, they would still be implicated.

But an even more serious problem is that the situation in Handong cannot afford to be delayed any longer.

Panic gripped the people from top to bottom, all work came to a standstill, rumors and gossip spread across society, and the security environment became increasingly severe.

All these problems need to be resolved effectively in the shortest possible time.

The weight given to candidates initially tends to favor 'stability,' and candidates who were unsuitable before may now be suitable.

Some minor flaws that seem intolerable aren't actually as serious as they're made out to be.

He's still a good comrade; he just went astray for a moment.

As long as he realizes his mistake and is willing to correct it, then it's not a big problem!

"Tongwei, do you think I still have a chance?"

"Teacher Gao, when have you ever heard of someone being dragged down just because of issues between men and women? That's just adding insult to injury. You're still standing on the edge of the well, you haven't fallen in yet!"

Gao Yuliang appeared calm and collected, but his hand resting on the table trembled slightly as his tone rose.

What's this called? "When you think you've reached the end of the road, a new path opens up before you."

Haha ...

In the past, Gao Yuliang had taken good care of Qi Tongwei, his student, and regarded him as his successor.

But in truth, I looked down on him a little.

The reliance on him stemmed largely from his lover and his elderly father standing behind him.

That person truly has connections and influence.

Being able to get in touch with him would be a sure path to rapid advancement; Qi Tongwei's future is limitless.

Even if things don't go well, he can still retire comfortably at his level.

But now it seems that his mind and vision were too narrow, and he overlooked some of Qi Tongwei's strengths.

The fact that he was chosen by Yang Jianguo's daughter must mean he has some outstanding qualities.

Unfortunately, she had overlooked this point before, only regarding him as an opportunist who used women to climb the social ladder.

'Gao Yuliang, your thoughts, your vision, and your heart are no longer pure.'

Watching Qi Tongwei leave, Gao Yuliang was filled with emotion.

When did this student's politics surpass mine, and how did my former guide now have to look up to him?

"I knew it! Tongwei is the one who can help you the most. He's really amazing!"

Wu Huifen was filled with emotion, never expecting that the young people from back then would move forward so quickly and steadily.

"He used up all his luck in this life on his marriage."

Hearing the sour tone in Gao Yuliang's words, Wu Huifen couldn't help but feel sarcastic: "What, Teacher Gao, you just won't admit your students' excellence? I remember you weren't like this before."

"What kind of person am I?"

When no one was around, Gao Yuliang couldn't suppress his impatience with Wu Huifen.

The two had long been estranged; everything they did was merely an act in front of outsiders to maintain appearances and exchange resources.

If it weren't for this conflict of interest, their marriage would have ended long ago.

Qi Tongwei was unaware of the farce that unfolded after he left.

At this moment, he was considering the solution that Gao Yuliang had mentioned earlier.

Although he lacked ambition, Gao Yuliang was still a seasoned veteran, and he immediately found Sha Ruijin's weakness.

Li Dakang, the sword of Handong in his hand.

The potential for a clash between Sha and Li was already evident when Li Dakang was entrusted with important responsibilities.

In Handong, this is no secret.

Therefore, Li Dakang completely severed ties with the secretary's faction in order to get in touch with Sha Ruijin.

Unexpectedly, Sha Ruijin was tripped up halfway.

Now, Li Dakang is in a bind.

His greatest support in the past, the secretary's group, was pushed away by him. His newly found backer hadn't even settled in before it tripped him up, and now it was teetering on the brink of collapse.

His former powerful backer and benefactor who had helped him all along have now been imprisoned.

Nowadays, no one dares to mention his name; it's as if it's become a taboo.

Sitting at his desk, Li Dakang looked around blankly, unable to find a way out for a moment.

How did things turn out this way?

Fortunately, he still has enough achievements to make it difficult for anyone to take him down.

But Li Dakang couldn't find the direction the door to progress would lead.

Just then, the secretary knocked on the office door. "Secretary, a comrade from the capital is looking for you. He says he's from the inspection department and his name is Hou Liangping."

"Oh."

Hou Liangping and Li Dakang's minds raced, and they immediately figured out the other party's background.