Official excuse: I was sent to work at the grassroots level for training, and Hou Liangping arrested

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Zhao Ruilong, blindfolded, couldn't see anything: "I...I don't know, I don't know anything."

Lin Hu sneered, his voice piercing Zhao Ruilong's heart like ice: "Don't know? Zhao Ruilong, don't think you can play dumb just by covering your eyes. Do you really think you can hide what the Zhao family has been doing in Handong Province all these years?"

Zhao Ruilong swallowed hard, feeling the pressure coming from the other end, but he still forced himself to say, "I...I really don't know what you want me to say?"

Lin Hu stood up, placed his hands on the table, leaned forward, and approached Zhao Ruilong: "Zhao Ruilong, you are one of the core members of the Zhao family. Even if you are not the mastermind behind the dirty deeds and scandals of the Zhao family, you are definitely not immune to them."

"Now, I'm giving you a chance to tell me everything you know, and maybe you can get leniency."

Zhao Ruilong's body trembled slightly. He tried to remain calm, but the cold sweat on his forehead betrayed his inner fear: "I...I really didn't participate in those things. You can't wrong an innocent person."

Lin Hu slammed his hand on the table, his voice rising abruptly: "Wrong an innocent person? Zhao Ruilong, stop deceiving yourself. The Zhao family has been running rampant in Beijing for years, smuggling drugs, embezzling and accepting bribes—every single one of their crimes is heinous. Do you think you can get away with it?"

Zhao Ruilong trembled at the blow. He remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, "I... I really don't know much. If you're hoping to get anything from me, you'll be disappointed."

Lin Hu's eyes were like torches, fixed on Zhao Ruilong as if trying to see through his heart: "Zhao Ruilong, how long do you think you can hold on? Telling me now will only benefit you. Otherwise, once we find out everything, your fate will be even worse."

. . . . .

Zhao Ruilong remained silent, but his body language betrayed his inner turmoil.

Lin Hu knew that he had won an initial victory in this psychological battle. He decided to give Zhao Ruilong some time to think carefully about his situation.

"Think it over carefully, Zhao Ruilong. You only get one chance. If you miss it, you'll never have another." After saying that, Lin Hu turned and walked out of the room, leaving Zhao Ruilong alone in the dimly lit room, facing his inner fear and struggle.

To put it bluntly, Lin Hu was using deception in warfare, and this was his last attempt to scare Zhao Ruilong.

213. Hou Liangping confessed upon regaining consciousness that Zhong Zhengguo had accepted bribes of 1.2 billion US dollars.

213. Hou Liangping confessed upon regaining consciousness that Zhong Zhengguo had accepted bribes of 1.2 billion US dollars.

Meanwhile, at the People's Hospital of Handong Province.

Outside the ICU ward, two armed police officers and two state security agents were patrolling the corridor, fully armed.

All medical staff who come to change Hou Liangping's dressings must undergo strict checks and body searches.

Inside the ward, Hou Liangping, with a ventilator and tubes inserted, slowly opened his eyes.

The white ceiling gradually came into view, and Zhong Xiaoai's eerie smile appeared in my mind.

He turned his head with difficulty and saw the numbers flashing on the monitor beside the bed, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him.

Memories flooded back like a tide, the details of those huge transactions, Zhong Zhengguo's cold laugh, and the pain of being betrayed, all intertwined to create an indescribable picture.

Hou Liangping took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in his heart. He knew that every word he spoke at this moment could be a matter of life and death.

You should know that he has worked diligently for the Zhong family all these years, doing many bad things as their lackey.

Furthermore, the bribes Zhong Zhengguo received from certain unscrupulous business owners all went into his account and were then transferred to Zhong Zhengguo by the business owners.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and spoke with difficulty: "Zhong Zhengguo, don't blame me for being unjust if you are heartless."

Zhong Xiaoai must have betrayed them, otherwise she wouldn't have poisoned herself.

I must expose all of this; I can no longer pretend.

This would allow Zhong Zhengguo to escape justice.

At this moment, Hou Liangping's mindset underwent a complete transformation. He decided to break his silence, and despite his physical weakness, his eyes shone with determination.

19 He trembled as he reached out his right hand to take the call button from the bedside table, his voice weak but firm: "I am Hou Liangping... I have important evidence and I need to see Lin Yunfei."

Upon receiving the notification, Lin Yunfei boarded a helicopter and flew back to Jingzhou City, Handong Province.

They boarded a military jeep and sped off to the People's Hospital of Handong Province.

"Hou Liangping, I'm here. What important evidence do you have?"

Lin Yunfei stepped into the ward, his sharp gaze landing on Hou Liangping. He even turned on his phone's video recording function: "Hou Liangping, I am now legally recording your conversation."

"Please don't worry about any retaliation against you by certain people."

At that moment, a recorder walked into the ICU and opened his notebook.

Hou Liangping nodded slightly, a resolute glint in his eyes. Despite his frail health, his words were clear and forceful: "Zhong Zhengguo, he accepted bribes, amounting to a staggering 1.2 billion US dollars."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yunfei's eyes sharpened, and he quickly jotted it down in his notebook, while simultaneously signaling the recorder behind him to prepare as well. "This money was all transferred through my account," Hou Liangping continued, his voice weak yet conveying an undeniable firmness.

“I have records of every transaction, as well as photos of receipts personally signed by Zhong Zhengguo.”

Lin Yunfei frowned deeply. He knew the seriousness of the matter, which not only concerned Zhong Zhengguo's personal fate but could also affect the entire imperial court.

"Where is the evidence?" Lin Yunfei asked in a deep voice, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible tension.

"The password to the safe in my study is my birthday." After saying this, Hou Liangping seemed to have used up all his strength and slowly closed his eyes, but a relieved smile remained on his lips.

"Wait a minute, Hou Liangping. Which home do you mean?" Lin Yunfei snapped out of his daze and quickly asked.

"You should know that the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection found a huge amount of cash under the bed in your upscale apartment in Beijing."

Hou Liangping slightly opened his eyes, a hint of mockery in them: "The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection found it. Zhong Zhengguo deliberately put it there to frame me... My real home is in the old city of Jingzhou, in that old house."

Lin Yunfei nodded, then quickly turned to the agents and recorder behind him and said, "Immediately contact Jingzhou and send agents to the address Hou Liangping gave us to retrieve the evidence from the safe."

Then, he turned to Hou Liangping, his tone softening: "Hou Liangping, you should rest well. We will handle the rest." Hou Liangping closed his eyes again, and the huge weight that had been pressing on his heart for so long finally lifted.

As Lin Yunfei walked out of the ward, he secretly pondered that the scope of this case far exceeded his expectations.

Hou Liangping actually confessed. Such crucial evidence must be in my hands.

...Please give me flowers...

Meanwhile, in the capital city, outside the safe house of the City Imperial Guard.

Zhao Ruilong was blindfolded, and two Level 5 agents led him into a silver van.

Boom! The van sped away and disappeared into the night.

Inside the car, Zhao Ruilong was pale, his hands clenched tightly. The agents remained silent, the atmosphere tense. Their destination was unknown, and Zhao Ruilong's fate hung in the balance.

Zhao Ruilong muttered to himself, "No? Say something, take me there?"

"Brothers, I'm begging you. If you're going to take me to be executed, at least tell me."

"Zhao Ruilong, be quiet!" an agent shouted coldly, and the car fell into dead silence. The night was as dark as ink, and the lights outside the window were dim. Zhao Ruilong's heart pounded even faster.

After a while, the silver van entered East Chang'an Avenue and stopped at the entrance of Zhushikou Hutong.

Then, an agent opened the car door, quickly got out, looked around, and whispered a signal to his companion inside the car.

Zhao Ruilong was pulled down, and the black cloth covering his head was removed, leaving him in complete darkness.

Get in the car and leave quickly.

"Holy crap! What on earth is going on?"

"This is... an alley?" Zhao Ruilong's vision began to return, and he looked around.

From deep within the alley, the faint sound of dogs barking could be heard.

Zhao Ruilong became increasingly uneasy and immediately took off running.

To put it bluntly, he wasn't familiar with the roads in Beijing.

All I know is that when I see the entrance to the alley, I must have arrived in the city center.

They didn't execute him. Instead, they took him to the city center and released him.

Zhao Ruilong's face showed a look of relief after surviving a disaster.

...

That night, late at night, the stars twinkled.

Lin Yunfei personally led the agents from the National Security Bureau to that old house in the old city of Jingzhou.

Hou Liangping was from Handong. He was originally a poor boy from a humble background with no connections or resources. He gradually built his network and climbed to a high position by attending university and ingratiating himself with Zhong Xiaoai.

Lin Yunfei stood in the dimly lit living room, looking around, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

"Search, search thoroughly."

"We must find the safe."

The agents sprang into action, conducting a thorough search of each room. They left no corner unchecked, checking bookshelves, wardrobes, and under beds one by one. Lin Yunfei stood in the center of the living room, his eyes warily observing everything around him, his mind constantly considering the complexity and seriousness of the case.

After a while, an agent shouted excitedly, "Found him, Secretary Lin, he's here!"

Lin Yunfei immediately went over and saw a black safe standing quietly in a hidden corner of the study.

Lin Yunfei crouched down, carefully examined the safe, and then followed the password Hou Liangping had given him. With a "click," the safe door slowly opened.

Lin Yunfei reached inside and pulled out a thick stack of documents and several photos. He quickly flipped through them, his expression growing increasingly grave. These transaction records and receipt photos clearly documented every detail of Zhong Zhengguo's bribery, involving enormous sums of money and numerous individuals and companies.

Lin Yunfei knew that once this evidence was released, it would cause a huge uproar.

"Take all of this back and analyze it carefully," Lin Yunfei said to the agents. The agents quickly packed up the contents of the safe and then followed Lin Yunfei out of the old house.

Back in Dongping City, at the headquarters of the National Security Bureau, Lin Yunfei immediately organized personnel to analyze and study the evidence.

They invited professional financial and legal personnel to conduct detailed verification and analysis of each transaction. As the investigation deepened, the truth about Zhong Zhengguo's bribery gradually surfaced, and a vast corruption network began to emerge.

At the same time, Lin Yunfei did not forget to protect Hou Liangping. He arranged for more agents to patrol and guard the area around the hospital to ensure Hou Liangping's safety.

Because he knew that Zhong Zhengguo and the forces behind him would not easily let go of Hou Liangping, this key witness.

"Hey, Grandpa. There's something I can't decide on."

Lin Yunfei sat in his office, picked up the red secure phone, and dialed his grandfather Lin Jianguo's secure phone number.

"Yunfei, what's making you hesitate so much?" Lin Jianguo asked, pausing for a moment.

"That's right, Hou Liangping has regained consciousness. According to his confession, his father-in-law, Zhong Zhengguo, embezzled and accepted bribes totaling 12 billion yuan."

"And it's in US dollars."

Lin Jianguo was silent for a moment on the other end of the phone, then his voice became unusually serious: "Yunfei, this matter is of utmost importance. You must handle it with utmost care. Is the evidence conclusive?"

Lin Yunfei gripped the phone tightly, his gaze resolute: "The evidence is very strong. Hou Liangping has provided detailed transaction records and receipt photos. We have already arranged for professionals to verify them, and the results will be available soon."

“Good,” Lin Jianguo said in a deep voice, “You did the right thing. The priority now is to protect Hou Liangping’s safety, and at the same time, to organize and perfect the evidence as soon as possible to form a complete chain of evidence. This matter involves too many aspects, and we must be fully prepared.”

　“I understand, Grandpa,” Lin Yunfei nodded in response. “I have strengthened the hospital’s security measures to ensure that Hou Liangping will not be threatened in any way. At the same time, I will personally supervise the analysis of the evidence to ensure that every step is rigorous and error-free.”

“Very good,” Lin Jianguo’s voice revealed relief. “Yunfei, you have always been the person I trust the most. This matter is not only about the dignity of the law, but also about the future of the empire. You must remember that no matter how much pressure you face, you must stick to your principles and never compromise.”