Nominal: The pinnacle of power began in the sixth province of Handong.

Chapter 202 Chapter Recollection

Now, everything is connected.

Gao Yuliang finally understood.

Xia Qing had already reached an agreement with Liu Qingzhu.

A fake death, and a cloud backup after the fake death.

They tricked Zhao Ruilong into falling into their trap.

He then used the deceived Zhao Ruilong to threaten Gao Xiaofeng, thus ensnaring himself in the scheme.

Finally, what seemed like a clever move was handing the ledger with Gao Xiaofeng's records deleted to Xia Qing—a truly foolish one.

Xia Qing, who already possessed Liu Qingzhu's copy of the account book, was involved.

They've secured the victory.

Gao Yuliang is now truly being restrained by Xia Qing.

We could only let Xia Qing speak.

Seeing this, Xia Qing said:

"Secretary Yuliang, I'm asking you this. Is Gao Xiaofeng your...lover?"

This is the most likely scenario in Xia Qing's opinion.

Gao Xiaofeng was Gao Yuliang's lover and had an illegitimate child.

That's why Gao Yuliang hid the mother and child on Hong Kong Island.

Gao Xiaofeng and Gao Xiaoqin are twin sisters, so naturally they are also related to Zhao Ruilong.

Therefore, it is reasonable that Zhao Ruilong would pose a threat to Gao Xiaofeng.

Perhaps this is Gao Yuliang's weakness!

Gao Yuliang sighed deeply and said:

"Minister Xia, you are truly terrifying. Fortunately, you are not all-knowing, which makes me feel much better."

Xia Qing frowned, wondering what Gao Yuliang meant.

Gao Yuliang looked out the window and said leisurely:

"Xiaofeng is my legal wife."

Now it was Xia Qing's turn to be surprised.

What's going on?

Isn't Gao Yuliang's wife Wu Huifen?

Is it...

A possibility flashed through Xia Qing's mind. He looked at Gao Yuliang and asked:

"You and Teacher Wu are divorced?"

"That's right, Huifen and I have been divorced for many years," Gao Yuliang said calmly.

"I've already said it, Xiaofeng is my legal wife."

Xia Qing hadn't expected things to turn out this way.

Thinking about going to Gao Yuliang's house for dinner, Wu Huifen acted as if nothing was wrong, cooking, washing dishes, making tea, and taking care of Gao Yuliang's daily life.

Unfortunately, these two people are no longer husband and wife.

Wu Huifen's patience is truly extraordinary.

Thinking of this, Xia Qing felt a little embarrassed, but quickly recovered and said seriously:

"Secretary Yuliang, this constitutes a secret marriage. Not reporting your personal situation to the organization and hiding your wife and children in a sensitive area like Hong Kong Island... If the organization finds out, the mistake will be serious."

Gao Yuliang smiled calmly:

"But you and I both know that this is actually a small matter."

"Yes, compared to the 300 million yuan in trust funds that your wife Xiaofeng received, it is indeed a small matter." Xia Qing pointed to the records in the ledger and said, word by word:

"You've already accepted a bribe."

Gao Yuliang smiled, raised his head, and looked calm.

He knew the consequences of his secret marriage, and he was also aware of the disguised bribery that the Shanshui Group was giving him through Gao Xiaofeng.

He wanted to make up for the regret of not being able to bring Xiaofeng to his side for so many years, and at the same time, there was a deeper reason.

But Gao Yuliang was unwilling to say it voluntarily.

Perhaps it was a final act of stubbornness, or perhaps it was the scholarly spirit within him at play.

Rather than pleading and begging for help, he preferred to walk proudly toward his own end.

After weighing his options, Gao Yuliang made his final request.

Gao Yuliang is willing to plead guilty and accept any punishment.

However, he requested that after Xia Qing submitted the account book, he should use all available resources, whether it was the Hong Kong police or the Public Security Bureau of Handong Province, to protect Gao Xiaofeng from the threat posed by Zhao Ruilong's influence in Hong Kong.

This was Gao Yuliang's last thought.

There is nothing else.

After hearing Gao Yuliang's request, Xia Qing felt that something was amiss.

So he asked:

"That's all?"

Gao Yuliang said calmly:

"That's all. Minister Xia, you can report to your superiors at any time and have me arrested."

As he spoke, Gao Yuliang stretched out his hands, as if preparing to put on handcuffs.

"No, that's not right, Secretary Yuliang, there are still many things we don't understand. Your stance may seem volatile to outsiders, but in my view, there is actually a main axis."

Xia Qing shook her finger and slowly said:

"Everything you do is essentially aimed at undermining the Zhao family's power, which aligns with your political escape route. But you also consistently do things that favor the Zhao family. I dare to guess that the situation facing your weakness, Gao Xiaofeng, is more severe than I thought."

Xia Qing paused, then emphasized:

"Suppose that you tacitly approved of Gao Xiaofeng accepting bribes from the Shanshui Group and hid her in Hong Kong. These actions, seemingly driven by your own will, were actually influenced by another force compelling you to do so. If that's the case, then all your motives can be explained. So, Secretary Yuliang, please answer me..."

Xia Qing walked up to Gao Yuliang, stared intently at him, and said:

"What methods did Zhao Lichun use to control Gao Xiaofeng, forcing you to do these things to reassure him, even though they were actually ways of compromising your principles?"

boom!

At this moment, Gao Yuliang's inner defenses finally collapsed.

Xia Qing discovered his inner thoughts, which he tried so hard to hide.

Before his eyes, like a slideshow, memories of the past flashed by...

At the beginning, when Gao Yuliang was the secretary of Luzhou City, he got a taste of power through Zhao Lichun's transfer of Li Dakang.

From that moment on, he officially joined the Zhao family's group, rising all the way to become a member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee. Even after Zhao Lichun left Handong, he recommended him to the Central Committee to take over as Provincial Party Secretary.

Over the years, Gao Yuliang has not sought fame or fortune, but only the ultimate and supreme power.

He also knew that he could obtain these things from Zhao Lichun.

As a result, Gao Yuliang turned a blind eye to many things the Zhao family did, and he himself became the de facto leader of the Han University gang.

Gao Yuliang always believed that he was independent and free even under Zhao Lichun's shadow.

Everything he did was in pursuit of power, and also to repay Zhao Lichun for his kindness in recognizing his talent.

I am a member of the Zhao family.

Therefore, Gao Yuliang did not hesitate to bring Qi Tongwei onto the Zhao family's ship, allowing his eldest disciple to soar higher and higher together.

I thought everything would proceed smoothly like this.

However, Gao Yuliang was wrong.

The Zhao family's own people in Handong were not Gao Yuliang, but someone else entirely.

He had assumed that Zhao Lichun trusted him completely.

Until that day, Zhao Lichun said to himself.

We must keep Gao Xiaofeng a secret, otherwise it will affect my career.

Yu-liang, let's send her to live on Hong Kong Island.

Ruilong has some influence in Hong Kong Island, and Xiaofeng won't suffer any losses living there.

Yu Liang, you...

You know what I mean?

These words, like the whispers of a demon, carried a naked threat.

It wasn't until that moment that Gao Yuliang found out.

He was completely under Zhao Lichun's control.

I am never truly free.

Those around him will also be controlled by Zhao Lichun.

And in the end, it was himself, the man named Gao Yuliang.

They have completely lost the chance to escape unscathed from the Zhao family's ship.

For me, there is only one path left.

Follow the Zhao family's ship.

The voyage has come to an end, or perhaps...

It sank!