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"Prosecutor General? Then you can definitely make decisions regarding matters concerning the Supreme People's Procuratorate?"

"Comrade, there's no such thing as making decisions or not. As long as you report it, we will definitely handle it! Comrade, you must not act impulsively! Think about your family, think about your parents, think about your children!"

“My name is Zhao Dehan, and I am the director of the Planning Department of the Ministry of Energy. Last night, a director surnamed Hou from your Supreme People's Procuratorate accused me of being a corrupt official. He came to my home, my workplace, and even my villa outside with three search warrants to search me—but he didn't find a single penny!”

"Prosecutor Wei, I've worked at the Ministry of Energy for twelve years and have never wronged anyone. To earn some extra money, I did housekeeping for a friend's villa, but Hou Liangping insists that the villa is mine and that there are two hundred million yuan hidden inside! I've never seen so much money in my life. Just because he says I'm embezzling, am I supposed to suffer this injustice?"

Zhao Dehan's voice grew increasingly agitated: "I'm standing here today not to cause trouble for anyone, but to let everyone judge—was I wrong? Can your Supreme People's Procuratorate's Anti-Corruption Bureau just arbitrarily accuse people? Hou Liangping treated me like a criminal, taking me to the Ministry of Energy and searching my office from top to bottom in front of all my colleagues! I, Zhao Dehan, have lived an honest life for half my life, and I cannot bear this humiliation!"

Having said that, he took one last, resolute look at the scene below, then leaned forward—

"No—" Before Wei Jian could finish speaking, Zhao Dehan had already fallen straight down, headfirst, with a dull thud. Those nearby smelled a fishy odor and couldn't help but gag.

The megaphone in Wei Jian's hand fell to the ground with a "thud," and he froze on the spot, with only two words left in his mind: It's over.

Chapter 564: Big Trouble!

The thud of Zhao Dehan falling to the ground had not yet faded when the telephone rang suddenly in Zhang Erhe's courtyard, breaking the long silence between Liu Changsheng and Zhang Erhe.

"Old boss, please take this call first," Liu Changsheng said with a forced smile.

Zhang Erhe nodded, walked over and picked up the receiver: "Hello... Okay, this is... um, I understand." He put down the phone and almost immediately dialed again.

"Zhou Yuan... Dad... Zhao Dehan jumped."

The person on the other end of the phone was clearly surprised: "What? He really jumped?"

“Yes, that kid’s ruthless.” Zhang Erhe’s voice was deep. “Take that surveillance video from last night and go straight to the lake. Don’t say anything when you get there, just let them watch the video and tell them that Zhao Dehan jumped off the building today. After that, go straight back to the Ministry of Energy and don’t answer any calls, no matter who calls you. Do you understand?”

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Erhe let out a long sigh.

"Old boss, what happened?" Liu Changsheng asked tentatively. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"You?" Zhang Erhe glanced at him. "You're in a predicament right now, barely able to save yourself."

Liu Changsheng blushed, lowered his head, and remained silent.

"Tell me," Zhang Erhe leaned back in his chair, "how have you been all these years under Zhao Lichun's oppression?"

"To be honest... it's alright." Liu Changsheng smiled bitterly. "If I say it's alright, you'll probably think I'm useless, but I really have no other choice."

"Bullshit!" Zhang Erhe shouted angrily. "Who is Zhao Lichun? Just a local tyrant. If you come to me, do you think I'll stay silent?"

“Uncle, I was mainly thinking... my uncle had already passed away by then, and if I troubled you again, it would be even more... even more…”

"What is my relationship with your uncle? Before he died, he held my hand and asked me to take care of you, but what have you done?"

Liu Changsheng lowered his head even further: "I was wrong."

"Hmph, it's good that you know how to admit your mistakes." Zhang Erhe softened his tone. "I'm asking you—what's the situation in Handong right now?"

Liu Changsheng didn't rush to answer. He pondered for a moment and organized his thoughts: "Uncle Erhe, Zhao Lichun has been in Handong for a full thirty years. The entire Handong has been thoroughly marked by his influence. Although he has now been transferred to a higher position, he still has two behemoths under his command—the Han University gang and the Secretary gang."

But everyone's attention was focused on those two sides, forgetting that he had also planted many hidden threats, such as Wu Chunlin from the Organization Department and Liu Xinjian, the general manager of Handong Oil and Gas Corporation—these were his backup plans.

"And what about you? How have you been these past few years?"

Liu Changsheng blushed again: "In previous years, things were alright... Although Zhao Lichun had control of the provincial party committee, I still had the final say in the provincial government. However, after his promotion this year, I've remained stagnant, and it's clear that I'll have to step down and move to the second tier in another six months. So now the government is also getting restless, especially one of the vice governors who has directly sided with Sha Ruijin."

"Sha Ruijin...is that the son-in-law of the Wang family?"

"Yes. The Wang family and the Zhong family teamed up to try and take advantage of what Zhao Lichun left behind. But Zhao Lichun is no pushover either, and the two families are quite antagonistic."

After listening, Zhang Erhe remained silent for a while, then looked at Liu Changsheng with a deep gaze: "Alright, I'll just ask you one question—are you planning to obediently withdraw now, or are you planning to make one last struggle?"

"Uncle, do you think I can still get to the other side?"

“You really can’t manage on your own. With me by your side, there shouldn’t be any problems. At the very least, I can help take care of your son in the future.”

Liu Changsheng's eyes lit up: "Okay, Uncle, I'll work for you."

"Alright, I'll get straight to the point. Send a trusted confidant to Hong Kong Island to find Wu Qian and bring back Zhao Lichun's son's business partner—what's his name, Du something? He has dirt on Gao Yuliang and Qi Tongwei. Give this dirt to those two, keep it in your hands for now, and let Sha Ruijin and Zhao Lichun fight it out themselves."

He paused, picked up his teacup, and took a sip: "I'll have Zhang Jue help you get things sorted out again. He's going to set up a new energy supply chain, from the most basic lithium ore processing to battery production, the whole chain. He'll put this line in your Handong area—with that achievement, even if you can't advance any further, at least you won't have to retire to the CPPCC."

“Uncle Erhe…” Liu Changsheng was somewhat moved, a wave of regret washing over him—if he hadn’t distanced himself from Uncle Erhe back then, he could probably be sitting in Sha Ruijin’s position now. Just thinking about Sha Ruijin made him furious.

That scoundrel, he really thinks he's about to retire, he doesn't even understand the most basic official etiquette—he's been in office for so long, and he hasn't paid him a single visit. In the entire Hantong officialdom, who isn't laughing at him?

"Fine, since you, Sha Ruijin, don't blame me for being impolite." Liu Changsheng gritted his teeth, suddenly remembering a saying he had heard somewhere. What was that saying again... The Great Emperor, whose days were numbered, came over with an Extreme Dao Imperial Weapon and asked only one question—Sha Ruijin, are you afraid?

Zhang Erhe raised an eyebrow but didn't reply.

Liu Changsheng then remembered something else: "Uncle Erhe, Sha Ruijin's secretary sent word that Sha Ruijin is going to hold a democratic life meeting in Handong next week and has invited veteran comrades to give lectures to the cadres..."

"Wait, could it be that he invited Chen Yanshi?"

"That's him, isn't it?"

“Uncle Erhe, this is what I’m thinking—I’d like to trouble you to condescend to come with me to Handong and put that old man’s arrogance to his own devices.”

“Sure,” Zhang Erhe said, intrigued. “I’m known for my love of getting involved in things. Since this is happening, I have to go.”

Meanwhile, inside the Zhongwei Discipline Inspection Commission building, Zhong Zhengguo had just brewed a cup of tea when the telephone on his desk suddenly rang loudly. He answered, "This is Zhong Zhengguo."

The voice of Prosecutor Wei, furious, came from the other end of the phone: "Zhong Zhengguo! Look at what your son-in-law has done!"

"My son-in-law? Hou Liangping?" Zhong Zhengguo frowned. "What happened to him?"

"Was it you who transferred Zhao Dehan's case?"

“Yes, I handed it over,” Zhong Zhengguo replied slowly.

"Oh—good!" Prosecutor Wei roared, "You two, father-in-law and son-in-law, are you conspiring to swindle me?"

"Prosecutor Wei, what you're saying—"

"Zhong Zhengguo! Zhao Dehan is dead! He jumped off a building! Just now, the place where he jumped was less than five meters away from me, and his brains splattered all over my clothes!"

Zhong Zhengguo gripped the microphone tightly, suppressing his anger: "Prosecutor Wei, he was a corrupt official under investigation. His suicide was an act of cowardice—"

"Bullshit!" The other side completely exploded. "Your good son-in-law searched all night, with three search warrants, turning their house, workplace, and even a villa—supposedly where Zhao Dehan hid his money—upside down! And they didn't find a single thing! Zhong Zhengguo, let me tell you—your Zhong family is in big trouble!"

Chapter 565 An old tiger can still eat people.

Zhong Zhengguo's hand tightened around the receiver, his knuckles turning white, and tea spilled from the rim of the cup onto the desk. He was silent for a moment. "Prosecutor Wei, calm down. If Hou Liangping really violated regulations in handling the case, I will not cover it up. But now is not the time to talk nonsense—the cause of Zhao Dehan's death and the ins and outs of the case must be thoroughly investigated."

"Investigate? How can we investigate?" Prosecutor Wei's voice was choked with sobs and filled with anger. "The man died right here at the Supreme People's Procuratorate, his brains are all cold! Now the whole organization is saying that the Anti-Corruption Bureau forced an innocent official to his death just to curry favor! Zhong Zhengguo, tell me, how am I supposed to take the blame? Does your Zhong family care about reputation, but the Supreme People's Procuratorate doesn't care about its dignity?"

Zhong Zhengguo closed his eyes, suppressing the bitterness in his throat. He knew Hou Liangping well; he could be impulsive at times, but to say he deliberately drove someone to their death… he didn't believe it. But Prosecutor Wei's words were like hammer blows, striking his heart again and again: investigating all night without finding any evidence, and even driving someone to their death—this simply couldn't be justified.

“Prosecutor Wei,” he said, softening his tone and trying to keep his voice steady, “first, I will review Zhao Dehan’s case again. If Hou Liangping really violated regulations, he will be punished and held accountable as appropriate, without any leniency. Second, I will coordinate the pressure from the Supreme People’s Procuratorate; I won’t let you bear it alone. Third, give me three days, and I will definitely give you, the deceased’s family, and everyone an explanation.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone before Wei Jian's weary voice came through: "Zhong Zhengguo, I trust you this time. But remember—this isn't just about your Zhong family and me personally; it's about the credibility of the judiciary. If this isn't handled properly, nobody will have an easy time."

"I see."

After hanging up the phone, Zhong Zhengguo leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh. The sunlight outside the window was dazzling, but he felt a chill run through his body.

The secretary knocked twice and poked half her body in: "Boss—"

"Get out!" Zhong Zhengguo roared.

The secretary staggered in fright but didn't back out: "Boss... the director of the office in Haizi just called and asked you to come over now."

Zhong Zhengguo closed his eyes; the worst was yet to come—Hai Zili already knew.

But when he arrived at the lake, he found that he wasn't the only one summoned—Prosecutor Wei from the Supreme People's Procuratorate was also there. The two were led into a conference room, where the staff didn't exchange pleasantries and immediately turned on the projector.

A surveillance video begins playing on the screen: Hou Liangping and his men roughly pin Zhao Dehan to the table, snatch the keys, open the safe, and throw the confidential documents inside onto the ground...

The video progressed frame by frame, the room so quiet that only the projector's hum could be heard. The elderly people sitting opposite remained silent throughout, only speaking softly when the video finished: "Finished watching?"

"We've finished reading it," Zhong Zhengguo and Wei Jian replied simultaneously.

"Tell me about it."

Wei Jian's face flushed red—the person in the video, though Zhong Zhengguo's son-in-law, was also registered under his name at the Supreme People's Procuratorate. He stammered, unsure how to speak for a moment.

The old man turned to them, his voice low but each word firm: "Is this how our public security, procuratorate, and judicial personnel treat their own comrades now? Just like criminals?"

He paused, then added, "Furthermore, Minister Zhou of the Ministry of Energy also said that the documents kept by Comrade Zhao Dehan are classified as confidential. Hou Liangping threw the confidential documents on the ground without any authorization—how you two, the Discipline Inspection Commission and the Supervision Commission, plan to handle this matter is your business. But the Ministry of Energy cannot suffer this injustice for nothing this time."

After saying that, the old man waved his hand, signaling them to leave.

The two stepped outside, exchanged a glance, and both saw a heavy look on each other's faces.

"Prosecutor Wei..."

“Zhong Zhengguo, you’ve really ruined me.” Prosecutor Wei gritted his teeth. “No matter what, you’re moving this jinx back—our Supreme People’s Procuratorate is too small to accommodate such a big shot.”

Zhong Zhengguo gave a wry smile: "Now it's not up to us to decide anymore, it's up to the Ministry of Energy to figure out how to handle this."

The two discussed it for a long time, originally thinking that Zhou Yuan was easily swayed and that they could get him to compromise by sending him some benefits or saying some sweet words. But to their surprise, Zhou Yuan was unmoved this time and directly handed over the conditions they had tried to settle privately back to Hai Zili. This time, Hai Zili directly named and severely criticized the two of them.

Zhou Yuan's counterattack was swift and ruthless.

The Ministry of Energy issued an official document ordering the return of all disciplinary inspection and supervision agencies stationed in its subordinate state-owned enterprises! Overnight, disciplinary inspection cadres from major central enterprises were purged, office locks were replaced, and employee badges were taken back. A phone call from below went directly to Zhong Zhengguo's office; when the person on the other end reported with a tearful voice, Zhong Zhengguo slammed down the phone.

"What is Zhou Yuan trying to do?"

Before he could finish speaking, the phone rang again. This time it was Prosecutor Wei—although the procuratorate did not send any agencies to state-owned enterprises, Zhou Yuan had forcibly suspended some joint inspection operations on the grounds of "unclear overlapping authority."

The two then fully understood—Zhou Yuan was now in the right, waving a flag, and making a grand "protest." What was even more disheartening was that Hai Zili remained completely silent; silence itself was an attitude.

Zhong Zhengguo and Wei Jian huddled together again, scratching their heads in frustration.

"Why is Zhou Yuan suddenly as hard as a rock?"

Wei Jian took a drag of his cigarette, flicked the ash into his teacup, and sneered, "Zhong Zhengguo, we're not just facing Zhou Yuan."

Who is that?

"The tiger behind Zhou Yuan, although it is old, can still eat people."

Zhong Zhengguo was stunned, then suddenly realized—Zhang Erhe. A few years ago, when Zhang Erhe was in charge of the Ministry of Energy, the Discipline Inspection Commission had to notify him first and carefully discuss matters before taking action against anyone in the Ministry of Energy.

In those years, the Ministry of Energy was an impenetrable fortress; anyone who dared to challenge it would suffer. It wasn't until Zhang Erhe stepped down and Zhou Yuan took over that some people began to tentatively target the Ministry of Energy. The Ministry of Energy chose to back down step by step, which gradually made everyone realize that the Ministry of Energy was a soft target, easy to manipulate.

But now, the persimmon has turned back into a tiger.

“This time…” Wei Jian stubbed out his cigarette, looked up at Zhong Zhengguo, “Your son-in-law is doomed.”

Zhong Zhengguo did not respond.