245: Chapter 245 Gao Yuliang: Riddlers Should All Die

That evening, Gao Fangfang arrived at the villa, took Secretary Gao Yuliang's power of attorney, and left immediately without lingering.

Secretary Gao Yuliang had intended to take the opportunity to ask a few questions about the Bai family and that boss behind the scenes, but Gao Fangfang's lips were sealed tight, and he was unable to glean any useful information.

Four days passed in a flash.

That morning, just as Secretary Gao Yuliang entered his office, he received a call from Gao Fangfang.

His heart tightened, and he pressed the answer button: "Fangfang, has the matter been settled?"

Gao Fangfang's tone was calm: "Dad, your divorce from Gao Xiaofeng has been finalized. Gao Xiaofeng will pretend that nothing ever happened and continue to live peacefully in Hong Kong, never revealing this matter to anyone. The loose ends regarding the finances have also been cleaned up, and it will have absolutely nothing to do with you! As far as this matter is concerned, you are now clean."

Secretary Gao Yuliang breathed a sigh of relief and then tentatively asked: "Then, did the boss you mentioned say whether there is anything I need to do?"

"The boss asked me to pass on a message to you," Gao Fangfang said in a serious tone. "He hopes you can 'keep your original intention in mind and not disgrace your mission.' Do your job well, especially at this juncture, as Handong Province is facing large-scale personnel changes; you must stabilize the situation in Handong Province. Regarding the appointment of cadres, you must grasp the initiative. The capable should rise, and the mediocre should fall. Absolutely do not promote cadres who are ill-suited, but also do not adopt a one-size-fits-all approach that hinders the development of Handong Province. Your vision must be focused on the future, and you must make long-term plans for Handong Province."

Secretary Gao Yuliang didn't react for a moment; he was stunned for a long while before asking: "Is there nothing specific?"

Gao Fangfang asked in confusion: "It is already very specific; it just means for you to be a good official and do your job well. Dad, I have finished passing on the message. I am very busy with my research work now, so I will stop chatting."

Hanging up the phone, Secretary Gao Yuliang sat in his seat, silent for a long time.

The rope that the Zhao family had tied around his neck had been severed.

But this matter was solved for him by someone else—and so, another rope had been placed around his neck.

Moreover, the things the owner of this rope had asked him to do were so vague and far too "righteous." Associating this with the actions of that mysterious boss, this was not just "righteous," but righteous to the point of being eerie.

Suddenly, a flash of brilliance crossed Secretary Gao Yuliang's eyes.

No, that's not right.

They had already given specific instructions—the appointment of cadres.

Grasp the initiative, absolutely do not promote cadres who are ill-suited, but do not adopt a one-size-fits-all approach.

These three points, when connected, sound fine at first, but upon closer inspection, there is more to it than meets the eye.

Grasp the initiative means someone wants to take away this power; absolutely do not promote those who are ill-suited means there are unqualified people among those to be promoted; do not adopt a one-size-fits-all approach means someone wants to do exactly that, and it is very likely they want to freeze cadre appointments.

Who wants to take away this power, and who wants a one-size-fits-all approach? The answer is self-evident—the newly arrived leader of the Provincial Committee, Secretary Sha Ruijin.

And the person helping him is not on the same side as the Zhao family, nor is he on the same side as Secretary Sha Ruijin.

The requirement for him is to "keep your original intention in mind and not disgrace your mission," which means to conduct cadre appointments according to the rules and select outstanding talent, which is the so-called "the capable should rise, and the mediocre should fall."

Having figured out several key points, Secretary Gao Yuliang couldn't help but mutter: "This is forcing me to act for the common good. It is also asking me to carry the banner of Handong Province and compete with Secretary Sha Ruijin for the initiative. Who on earth is it? Could it be hidden in the two sentences: 'Your vision must be focused on the future, and you must make long-term plans for Handong Province'? But what can be seen from these two sentences?"

At this moment, Secretary Gao Yuliang finally realized how frustrating "speaking in riddles" could be—riddlers should all die.

At this moment, a knock on the door sounded.

The abrupt noise made him tremble slightly. He steadied himself and then called out: "Come in."

Secretary He Qiang walked in from outside: "Secretary Gao, Comrade Zhang Shuli, Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of Jingzhou City, is here. Do you see it convenient to meet him now?"

Secretary Gao Yuliang was stunned: "Zhang Shuli? Is there an appointment?"

He Qiang pursed his lips in embarrassment.

For the past few days, he had felt that Secretary Gao Yuliang's state was not quite right, but he dared not ask too much, only whispering a reminder: "It was scheduled three days ago. At the time, you said you would listen to his report today, which is about the handling plan for Comrade Chen Qingquan."

Secretary Gao Yuliang finally came to his senses, his Face regaining the dignity of the third-in-command of Handong Province, and he nodded: "Please ask him to come in."

A moment later, Zhang Shuli was led into the office.

Chen Qingquan was originally a city-managed cadre, so Jingzhou City could handle it themselves; however, considering he was once Secretary Gao Yuliang's secretary, Secretary Li Dakang still had Zhang Shuli come specifically to seek Secretary Gao Yuliang's opinion.

Although the two often clashed at the Provincial Committee meetings, Secretary Li Dakang still gave him this bit of Face.

Secretary Gao Yuliang was already agitated and did not want to create extra complications.

After listening to Zhang Shuli's report and seeing that the handling plan was just dealing with the matter at hand without digging deep into other dirt, he nodded and said: "I have no objection. Although Chen Qingquan was my secretary, since he did such a thing, he should be handled as he should be handled. One month of study at the Party School, removal from office, a demerit, and demotion—I agree."

Zhang Shuli breathed a sigh of relief, said a few polite words, and then left the Provincial Committee.

Secretary Gao Yuliang exhaled, stood up, and took one of the books from the set of "The Rise of Great Powers" from the bookshelf.

He hesitated for a moment, then put it back, exchanged it for a copy of "those things about the ming dynasty," and sat back at his desk to flip through it.

After reading for more than half an hour, he picked up his mobile phone and dialed Zhao Yang's number, wanting to arrange a time to have a good chat about Ming history.

But after the call went out, the other end always gave a prompt that it could not be connected.

He tried dialing a few more times, but it remained the same.

He pondered for a moment and then turned to dial Lu Yike's number.

This time it connected quickly.

Secretary Gao Yuliang asked straight to the point: "Yike, is your Procuratorate having a meeting today?"

Lu Yike was clearly stunned: "No, no. Uncle-in-law—cough, Secretary Gao, do you have something to find me for?"

"It is about the juvenile procuratorial work. I want to find your Prosecutor Zhao to chat in person, but his phone cannot be reached." Secretary Gao Yuliang said.

"Oh, Prosecutor Zhao mentioned before he left that there was a temporary meeting at the Supreme Peoples Procuratorate, and they summoned him over. He might be in the Imperial Capital attending the meeting right now." Lu Yike replied, "If you have anything, I will pass it on to him when he returns."

Secretary Gao Yuliang suddenly understood: "Is that so? Then there is no rush; let's wait until he returns."

Having said that, he hung up the phone with a sense of melancholy.

At this moment, Zhao Yang was indeed in the Imperial Capital, but he was not attending any meeting of the Supreme Peoples Procuratorate.

He was sitting in a room in an old Soviet-style building, holding a teacup, quietly waiting for General Feng to review the materials he had brought.

Finally, General Feng raised his eyes from the documents and looked at Zhao Yang with a complex expression: "How is it that you enter the servers of America as if you were going home? Tell me the truth, have you usually taken a keyboard and wandered around the servers of some domestic units?"