Zhou Lifeng!

"hehe……"

Upon hearing this, Gao Yuliang chuckled, got up, walked to the sofa, and made himself a cup of tea. "You came to see me so early in the morning just to say this? If so, you can leave now."

Hou Liangping retorted, "Professor Gao, stop pretending to be calm now. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection's inspection team will definitely investigate your problems thoroughly. If you confess now, you can still try to get lenient treatment."

"So, you're trying to get leniency, Liangping? Are you really trying to use your position as a teacher to boost your political achievements?"

Gao Yuliang looked at Hou Liangping and said quietly, "It's a pity you'll be disappointed. The teacher has no problems whatsoever. I've already explained this matter at the Standing Committee meeting."

"However, you are absolutely right. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection's inspection team will definitely investigate my case thoroughly. The truth will come out, and the innocent will be proven innocent. I am also very much looking forward to the investigation results!"

"Professor Gao, aren't you even a little bit nervous?" Hou Liangping's lips curled into a cold smile. "What exactly happened in your marriage with Gao Xiaofeng? How was that 200 million Hong Kong trust fund established? Are you still going to play dumb?"

"Liangping, in principle, an anti-corruption bureau chief of your rank shouldn't have the authority to investigate me. But it's alright, I'm in a good mood today and I'm willing to clear things up for you."

Gao Yuliang walked back again, took out a divorce certificate from the drawer, and pushed it directly in front of Hou Liangping. "First of all, I want to remind you that Gao Xiaofeng and I are already divorced. Also, I know nothing about the 200 million trust fund you mentioned, and it has nothing to do with me."

"Didn't know? It's none of your business?" Hou Liangping said sarcastically, unable to hold back, "Professor Gao, you think you can completely sever ties with just a casual remark? That's a rather naive idea!"

"The Hong Kong HK$200 million trust fund was established when you and Gao Xiaofeng were still married, and the actual beneficiary of the HK$200 million trust fund is your son, Gao Chen!"

"Isn't it too late to say you didn't know and that it has nothing to do with you?"

"Is it too late?" Gao Yuliang smiled and said calmly, "Let's not even talk about how Gao Xiaofeng and I are already divorced. Even if we weren't, it seems like our country's laws don't have a clause that criminals' family members are equally guilty, right?"

"Liangping..." Gao Yuliang looked at Hou Liangping, his eyes full of amusement, "This is no longer the era of imperial power. There is no longer the saying that if one person commits a crime, nine generations of their family will be punished."

Hou Liangping took a deep breath. "Teacher Gao, after all, you have a special status. You are the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee of Handong Province. You are a cadre of the Party and the State. Although you did not directly participate in the crime, it is difficult for you to escape responsibility because your wife, Gao Xiaofeng, committed a crime."

"See, I just reminded you, and you got it wrong again." Gao Yuliang clarified, "It's my ex-wife Gao Xiaofeng, and when they found out about the HK$200 million trust fund in Hong Kong, I was already divorced. This is very important."

Hou Liangping frowned slightly. "Is there any difference?"

"There's a big difference." Gao Yuliang tapped his fingers on the desk and explained, "Discovering problems before getting a divorce is called 'divorcing with problems,' while getting a divorce without problems is a standard and legal divorce procedure, isn't it?"

Hou Liangping was at his wits' end. Gao Yuliang, that old man, was too familiar with the loopholes in the law. He naturally knew that it would be difficult to define Gao Yuliang's problem. The most fundamental problem was that Gao Yuliang had already divorced before the provincial anti-corruption team discovered the HK$200 million trust fund.

If Gao Yuliang had divorced before the problem was discovered, it would be difficult to determine the nature of Gao Yuliang's problem, unless Gao Xiaofeng insisted that Gao Yuliang had a problem.

Hou Liangping's eyes flickered slightly, and he suddenly had a new idea. He asked, "Secretary Yuliang, you are the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, the highest-ranking official in the public security, procuratorate, and judicial system of Handong Province. Is it possible that you received advance notice and rushed to divorce Gao Xiaofeng?"

Gao Yuliang was amused by Hou Liangping. He pointed at Hou Liangping with his finger and asked, "I remember it wasn't the provincial procuratorate investigating my case, but the anti-corruption team, right?"

"yes!"

"The anti-corruption task force was not discussed at a Standing Committee meeting; it was decided unilaterally by Provincial Party Secretary Sha Ruijin. Since it's not under the jurisdiction of the public security, procuratorial, or judicial departments, is it still considered a relevant department of the public security, procuratorial, or judicial system?"

"..."

"And another thing, I remember you're the head of the anti-corruption task force, right? I wonder who the other members are, and who do you suspect tipped me off?"

Hou Liangping frowned, his face growing increasingly grim, and sat there without uttering a word.

Faced with Hou Liangping's relentless pressure, Gao Yuliang finally lost his temper and said directly, "Director Hou, isn't the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection's inspection team here? If you suspect someone is tipping me off, you can immediately report it to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection's inspection team to find out the truth."

Hou Liangping's expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly said, "I have no evidence, it's just a guess."

"Guessing?" Gao Yuliang lightly slapped the desk, coldly reprimanding, "What a joke! You're the head of the anti-corruption team and the director of the anti-corruption bureau of the Handong Provincial Procuratorate. Do you think you can handle cases and arrest people based on guesswork?"

"Shouldn't the case be handled and dealt with according to the law?"

Hou Liangping opened his mouth, wanting to say something in his defense, but he couldn't utter a single word, because he found that no matter how he explained, it would seem pale and powerless.

Just then, the door opened, and a slender figure appeared in the doorway, clapping and exclaiming, "Teacher Gao is truly amazing! If others had heard those few words, they would have thought Liangping had committed a crime!"

Gao Yuliang merely glanced at the newcomer before coldly questioning, "Xiao Ai, from what you're saying, Liangping hasn't committed any crimes, then who has?"

"Of course it's you, my teacher Gao!"

Zhong Xiaoai walked straight up, threw the interrogation report on the table, and said condescendingly, "Teacher Gao, your ex-wife Gao Xiaofeng has confessed that the HK$200 million trust fund was set up by Gao Xiaoqin, the general manager of Shanshui Group, for her son."

"So, Gao Xiaofeng knew about the HK$200 million trust fund from the very beginning, didn't she?"

Gao Yuliang remained calm and composed, saying, "And then? What does this prove?"

"Does this mean my ex-wife, Gao Xiaofeng, knew about the HK$200 million trust fund? Does it mean Gao Xiaofeng used bribes received from the Shanshui Group? Besides these, what else does it prove?"

"It doesn't prove anything..." Zhong Xiaoai knew that arguing with Gao Yuliang was pointless, so she waved her hand and said, "Teacher Gao, we have truthfully reported your questions and the results of the investigation into Gao Xiaofeng, Gao Xiaoqin, Zhao Ruilong, and others to Director Lin Qicheng and Minister Zhou Lifeng."

"As for the final result, we will give you an answer soon. Are you in a hurry, Professor Gao?"

"Who?" Gao Yuliang was taken aback, abruptly standing up and staring intently at Zhong Xiaoai: "You just said you reported to whom?"

Seeing Gao Yuliang's panic and confusion, Zhong Xiaoai couldn't help but shake her head and sneer. She had initially thought Gao Yuliang had some ability, but now it seemed he was just a show-off.

"Professor Gao, we have truthfully reported your relevant issues, as well as the investigation results regarding Gao Xiaofeng, Gao Xiaoqin, Zhao Ruilong, and others, to Director Lin Qicheng and Minister Zhou Lifeng!"