Chapter Summaries

Zhou Yi met privately with Rong Jinsheng, who tried to reconcile with him over the Shanhai Group’s actions. Zhou refused to compromise on the investigations, and their conversation ended with the two accepting they could not become friends.

• Rong Jinsheng invited Zhou Yi to a private room and asked him to set aside his prejudice against the Shanhai Group.
• Zhou Yi said the factory acquisition, unpaid worker compensation, and alleged plot to silence a whistleblower had made him hostile to the group.
• Rong Jinsheng promised the Shanhai Group would pay the workers and said Zhou could handle the alleged kidnapping as he saw fit.
• Zhou Yi insisted on identifying the kidnapping mastermind and continuing investigations into the Xinguang Factory’s asset valuation and possible misappropriation of state-owned assets.
• Rong Jinsheng and Zhou Yi agreed there was nothing to discuss and shook hands before Zhou said Rong Jinxiu lacked the ability to see the bigger picture.

Zhou Yi unsettled Rong Jinsheng by revealing knowledge of his secrets, prompting him to flee Chuanhai for Capital City. The next morning, Zhou Yi picked up Jian Shuyue, then learned he had to attend a Party Committee Leadership Meeting.

• Zhou Yi confronted Rong Jinsheng with details about his troubled love life and urged him to leave Chuanhai.
• Rong Jinsheng concluded that the state was investigating the Rong family, rushed to the airport, and told Rong Jinxiu he was returning to Capital City.
• Zhou Yi declined Chen Yurong's invitation to visit a teahouse, saying he needed to prepare for his girlfriend's arrival.
• Zhou Yi picked up Jian Shuyue at the airport, and she asked whether Chen Zhong had returned.
• Xu Ya informed Zhou Yi that Secretary Cheng had called a Party Committee Leadership Meeting, and Jian Shuyue said she would wait for him in his office.

Zhou Yi arrived at the Provincial Public Security Department with Jian Shuyue, drawing admiration from staff who saw the beautiful woman as his girlfriend. At a leadership meeting, Cheng Zhixing prepared to announce the decisions on his successor, while a flashback revealed a contest over who would become Executive Deputy Department Director.

• Zhang Li met Zhou Yi and Jian Shuyue at the elevator, and Zhou introduced Jian as his girlfriend.
• Zhou Yi brought Jian Shuyue to his office, then went to the leadership meeting, where Tian Zhengbing appeared unusually delighted.
• Cheng Zhixing entered the meeting and reflected on the decision for Tian Zhengbing to succeed him as Public Security Department Director.
• At the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee meeting, Qu Zhaochuan and Sheng Chuanzhi supported Gou Hongtao for Executive Deputy Department Director.
• Jiang Yunlai opposed choosing by seniority and backed Zhou Yi for Executive Deputy Department Director, citing his achievements in two cases.

At the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee meeting, several leaders backed Zhou Yi for Executive Deputy Department Director, forcing Hou Xiangyang to postpone the decision. Later, Cheng Zhixing announced changes to the department leadership, leaving Tian Zhengbing poised to become Department Director while Gou Hongtao assumed he would get the deputy post.

• Jiang Yunlai, Luo Hong, Ying Lianqiu, Cheng Zhixing, and Guan Ruibo supported Zhou Yi over Gou Hongtao for Executive Deputy Department Director.
• Hou Xiangyang postponed the appointment decision after the Standing Committee split over the candidates.
• Cheng Zhixing later told the department leadership that his duties and some Party Committee roles would be adjusted after the October 1 holiday.
• Tian Zhengbing's promotion to Department Director appeared assured, while Gou Hongtao expected to become Executive Deputy Department Director.
• Cheng Zhixing introduced the meeting's agenda on the national campaign against organized crime and warned Gou Hongtao not to celebrate too soon.

Qu Zhaochuan learned that Guan Ruibo would continue supporting Zhou Yi for Executive Deputy Department Director, while Gou Hongtao’s nomination failed at the Standing Committee meeting. The chapter ended with Gou learning that most committee members had recommended Zhou Yi instead.

• Qu Zhaochuan questioned Guan Ruibo about his vote, and Guan said he had honored Gao Songzhi’s request and believed Zhou Yi was more qualified than Gou Hongtao.
• Guan Ruibo told Qu Zhaochuan that he would keep supporting Zhou Yi on the appointment while remaining aligned with Hou Xiangyang on other matters.
• Guan Ruibo speculated that Jiang Yunlai and Luo Hong’s situation involved Jian Wanyan, Wei Siqi, and Xiao Xiangqian, leaving Qu worried about Gou Hongtao’s prospects.
• At the Provincial Public Security Department cafeteria, Gan Yongsheng resented Gou Hongtao’s expected promotion and considered finding another patron.
• Tian Zhengbing told Gou Hongtao that his nomination had failed and that more than half the Standing Committee members supported Zhou Yi for Executive Deputy Department Director.

Zhou Yi learned that several Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee members had recommended him for Executive Deputy Department Director, threatening Gou Hongtao’s expected promotion. As the political maneuvering continued, Rong Jinxiu’s group prepared for an all-out fight, and Qu Hongying told Zhou Yi that Guan Ruibo could support his promotion.

• Tian Zhengbing assured Gou Hongtao that the higher-ups still favored him, but Gou Hongtao learned Zhou Yi was competing for the Executive Deputy Department Director position.
• Zhou Yi and Jian Shuyue went home together, spent the afternoon intimately, and Jian Shuyue said her mother had allowed her to stay longer.
• Rong Jinxiu told the Avengers Alliance that Jiang Yunlai, Cheng Zhixing, Luo Hong, and others had recommended Zhou Yi at the Standing Committee meeting, while Hou Xiangyang’s response remained uncertain.
• Zheng Junhao asked about Rong Jinsheng’s sudden trip to Capital City, and Chen Yurong said their group would return there after negotiations failed.
• In Capital City, Rong Jinsheng asked his father whether their family was being targeted, and his father reacted with confusion.
• Qu Hongying told Zhou Yi about the recommendation and said Guan Ruibo could speak in support of him.

Zhou Yi learned that senior officials had backed him for Executive Deputy Director, though Hou Xiangyang remained wary of the appointment. Hou Xiangyang decided to hold an executive meeting after the National Day holiday, then confronted his son and ordered him to return shares received from Song Penghui.

• Zhou Yi thanked Qu Hongying and Gao Songzhi for supporting his candidacy, and Gao warned him that Hou Xiangyang might still resist.
• Zhou Yi and Jian Shuyue returned home and joked about Chen Yurong's unusual tongue trick.
• Hou Xiangyang asked Qu Zhaochuan about Zhou Yi, acknowledged his abilities and powerful connections, and scheduled an executive meeting for October 9.
• Hou Yunfan and Li Xiaowei returned home, and Xu Changying rebuked them for accepting favors from Song Penghui.
• Hou Xiangyang ordered Hou Yunfan to return the shares immediately.

Hou Xiangyang rejected his son’s and daughter-in-law’s involvement in Song Penghui’s case, then agreed with Lan Kun to make Zhou Yi the Public Security Department’s executive deputy director. Gou Hongtao learned he had lost the post and received a consolation promotion, while Gan Yongsheng began considering a new backer.

• Hou Xiangyang ordered Hou Yunfan and Li Xiaowei to return their shares and refused to use his influence to help Song Penghui.
• Zhou Yi and Jian Shuyue spent the National Day holiday together.
• Hou Xiangyang and Lan Kun agreed to appoint Zhou Yi as Deputy Secretary of the Public Security Department Party Committee and Executive Deputy Department Director, and to promote Gou Hongtao to full department-director rank.
• Gan Yongsheng left Gou Hongtao’s office after Tian Zhengbing asked to speak with Gou alone, then considered approaching Zhou Yi as a possible backer.
• Gou Hongtao protested losing the executive deputy post, and Tian Zhengbing tried to console him by saying Zhou Yi would probably transfer out within a year.

Old Master Jian advised Wei Siqi and the family to slow Zhou Yi’s promotions so he could broaden his experience and build a stronger foundation for higher office. The family then turned to Zhou Yi and Jian Yueyue’s wedding, setting an engagement before Spring Festival and a wedding before September next year.

• Old Master Jian told Wei Siqi, Jian Wanyan, and Jian Wanhong that Zhou Yi should consolidate his experience and advance steadily after reaching full department level.
• Jian Wanyan explained that Zhou Yi’s latest promotion had resulted from a fortunate convergence of support, including Gao Songzhi’s influence.
• Wei Siqi left to meet central officials and seek policy and funding support for Southwest, while his talks with Gong Changjie remained strained over their nephews’ past conflict.
• Old Master Jian raised the need to settle Jian Yueyue and Zhou Yi’s marriage plans, and Jian Wanyan said both families were ready to prepare for the wedding.
• Grandma Zhou and Mu Yalan agreed that Jian Yueyue and Zhou Yi would get engaged before Spring Festival and marry before September next year.

Yan Li told Zhou Yi that Song Tianlin’s newly reported crimes had stalled at the Provincial Procuratorate, and Zhou promised to seek a supplementary investigation while recommending Yan for promotion. At a leadership meeting on November 5, 2008, Tian Zhengbing was nominated as Provincial Public Security Department Head and Zhou Yi became Executive Deputy Department Director, leaving Gou Hongtao visibly thwarted.

• Yan Li told Zhou Yi that new rape and gang-rape accusations against Song Tianlin had prompted a request for supplementary investigation, while Gou Hongtao pressured him to back off and Song Tianlin’s family complained against him.
• Zhou Yi criticized Yan Li for transferring the case before the new crimes were added, then promised to ask the Provincial Procuratorate to return it or raise the matter with Secretary Cheng.
• Zhou Yi told Yan Li that he had recommended him to become commander of the Criminal Investigation Corps, and Yan was deeply moved.
• On November 5, 2008, Ruan Siwei announced Tian Zhengbing’s nomination as Provincial Public Security Department Head and Zhou Yi’s appointment as Executive Deputy Department Director.
• Gan Yongsheng watched Gou Hongtao sit gloomy-faced through the appointments and privately enjoyed his failure to become Executive Deputy Department Director.

Zhou Yi was formally praised and appointed Executive Deputy Department Director, overshadowing newly appointed Director Tian Zhengbing and prompting Jiang Xuezeng to consider seeking Zhou Yi’s support. At lunch, Qu Zhaochuan raised the objections made against Zhou Yi’s appointment, and the chapter ended with the leadership watching for Zhou Yi’s response.

• Cheng Zhixing praised Tian Zhengbing and Zhou Yi, calling Zhou Yi the best candidate for Executive Deputy Department Director and leaving Gou Hongtao resentful.
• Tian Zhengbing accepted his appointment as Public Security Department Director but worried about how to deal with Zhou Yi, while the meeting’s attendees applauded Zhou Yi more enthusiastically than they had applauded Tian.
• Jiang Xuezeng decided to seek Zhou Yi’s backing for a Party Committee leadership position, and Yan Li pledged his loyalty to Zhou Yi after his own promotion advanced.
• At lunch, Qu Zhaochuan told Zhou Yi that someone at the Standing Committee meeting had objected to his appointment because he was young, had advanced quickly, and had received several exceptional promotions.
• Cheng Zhixing, Tian Zhengbing, Gou Hongtao, and the other leaders read Qu Zhaochuan’s words as a veiled rebuke and watched Zhou Yi for his reaction.

At a provincial leadership meal, Qu Zhaochuan publicly endorsed Zhou Yi as Executive Deputy Department Director, signaling a truce between Hou Xiangyang and Zhou Yi’s powerful backers. Gan Yongsheng then visited Zhou Yi to apologize and pledge his support, hinting that he had something important to tell him.

• Qu Zhaochuan praised Zhou Yi’s abilities and declared him the most suitable candidate for Executive Deputy Department Director, drawing applause from the assembled officials.
• Tian Zhengbing and Gou Hongtao returned to the office and plotted, once again leaving Gan Yongsheng out of their discussion.
• Cheng Zhixing realized Qu Zhaochuan’s speech signaled that Hou Xiangyang had backed down and sought peace with Zhou Yi’s supporters.
• Gan Yongsheng decided to switch sides and went to Zhou Yi’s office, where he apologized and pledged to follow Zhou Yi’s orders.
• Zhou Yi accepted Gan Yongsheng’s pledge cautiously, and Gan began hinting that he had something Zhou Yi might want to hear.

Tian Zhengbing realized Secretary Hou had changed his attitude toward Zhou Yi without informing him, while Jiang Xuezeng visited Zhou Yi to pledge his support and seek a promotion. Zhou rejected Jiang's gift of family gold ingots and challenged him for trying to test an official with bribery.

• Gou Hongtao's question made Tian Zhengbing realize Secretary Hou had not warned him about his new support for Zhou Yi.
• After Gou Hongtao left, Tian Zhengbing decided to contact Secretary Ding before reconnecting with Gan Yongsheng.
• Jiang Xuezeng visited Zhou Yi, admitted his past mistakes, and promised to follow Zhou's direction.
• Jiang Xuezeng asked Zhou Yi to help him get the vacant Deputy Department Director position and offered him five family gold ingots.
• Zhou Yi returned the gold to Jiang Xuezeng and sternly asked whether he thought an official could be tested with a bribe.

Jiang Xuezeng learned that Zhou Yi rejected gifts and considered whether he could still earn Zhou Yi’s help in becoming Deputy Department Director. Meanwhile, Jian Shuyue was accosted by a young man on Golden Light Avenue, and Shao Erbao and Zhu Sanbao intervened to protect her.

• Zhou Yi rejected Jiang Xuezeng’s gold and explained that the problem was how Jiang had asked for his help.
• Jiang Xuezeng asked Cai Xiaobo about Zhou Yi’s preferences, and Cai advised him to offer decent tea rather than money or gold.
• Cai Xiaobo pushed back an envelope Jiang Xuezeng had slipped him and advised him to obey orders and never take money he should not take.
• Jian Shuyue left the Jindu Building after shopping and looking unsuccessfully for an engagement ring.
• A young man named Shi blocked Jian Shuyue and insisted on meeting her after she refused him.
• Shao Erbao and Zhu Sanbao rushed over and shoved Shi away from Jian Shuyue.

Jian Shuyue’s escorts arrested Shi Yuanbo and his bodyguards after they tried to force an introduction, while Yu Xiao helped subdue them. Later, incoming Chuanhai mayor Xue Baoguo met Hou Xiangyang and revealed that his father had been hospitalized after a fall.

• Shi Yuanbo tried to approach Jian Shuyue despite Shao Mingbao and Zhu Jianping’s warnings, then reached for her wrist.
• Shao Mingbao threw Shi Yuanbo down, and Shi Yuanbo’s bodyguards fought the officers who arrived to intervene.
• Yu Xiao charged in and sent Sun Qi flying, allowing the officers to subdue both bodyguards and arrest Shi Yuanbo.
• Jian Shuyue continued on her way as Zhu Jianping dismissed the crowd and called for a police car.
• Xue Baoguo told Hou Xiangyang that his father had suffered a minor fracture in a fall and was recovering in the hospital.
• Xue Baoguo’s phone rang during his meeting with Hou Xiangyang.

Xue Baoguo learned that police had arrested his nephew, Shi Yuanbo, and Hou Xiangyang asked Zhou Yi to investigate. After discovering that Shi Yuanbo had harassed Zhou Yi’s fiancée, Zhou reversed his initial plan to release him and ordered him kept in custody.

• Xue Baoguo’s wife told him that Shi Yuanbo and his bodyguards had been arrested after a confrontation outside the Jindu Building.
• Hou Xiangyang asked Zhou Yi to find out which police force had arrested Shi Yuanbo and what had happened.
• Zhou Yi had Gan Yongsheng and Jiang Xuezeng check with the Municipal Public Security Bureau and the Provincial Public Security Department.
• Jiang Xuezeng reported that Shao Mingbao’s officers had arrested Shi Yuanbo for allegedly harassing a woman and causing trouble.
• Zhou Yi learned that Shi Yuanbo had harassed his fiancée, ordered Shao Mingbao not to release him, and told Secretary Ding that he intended to keep him in detention for a week.

After learning that Shi Yuanbo was the nephew of incoming mayor Xue Baoguo, Zhou Yi ordered that Shi remain detained because he had harassed Zhou’s fiancée, Jian Shuyue. Secretary Hou Xiangyang informed Xue Baoguo of what happened and urged him to verify the facts and consider apologizing to Jian Shuyue, leaving the dispute unresolved.

• Secretary Ding told Zhou Yi that Shi Yuanbo was Xue Baoguo’s nephew, and Zhou ordered Jiang Xuezeng to keep Shi detained.
• Secretary Ding reported the incident to Hou Xiangyang, who worried about how to handle the conflict between Zhou Yi and Xue Baoguo.
• Xue Baoguo learned that Guan Yifei planned to investigate and then received Hou Xiangyang’s call explaining that Shi had harassed Jian Shuyue, Zhou Yi’s fiancée.
• Xue Baoguo questioned whether his nephew was at fault, but Hou Xiangyang said witnesses reported that Shi had pestered Jian Shuyue and gotten handsy.
• Hou Xiangyang offered to speak with Zhou Yi and advised Xue Baoguo to confirm what happened and consider apologizing to Jian Shuyue.

Xue Baoguo and Zhong Liyun tried to use their connections to free Shi Yuanbo, but their contacts advised them to apologize, and Zhou Yi imposed seven days of administrative detention. Zhou Yi explained to Jian Shuyue that his power let him choose how to act, and he had put her first; she comforted him and suggested a more playful way to spend the evening.

• Xue Baoguo and Zhong Liyun called their influential contacts, but both were advised to apologize to Zhou Yi to secure Shi Yuanbo's release.
• Shao Mingbao and Zhu Jianping questioned Shi Yuanbo, who expected his family to intervene, but he was sentenced to seven days of administrative detention.
• Jian Shuyue reassured an angry Zhou Yi that she had not been hurt and kissed him until he calmed down.
• Zhou Yi told Jian Shuyue that he had detained Shi Yuanbo because she was the one who had been harassed, despite the risk of angering Hou Xiangyang.
• Jian Shuyue urged Zhou Yi to stay clearheaded and uphold his principles, then invited him to try her new stockings.

Zhou Yi was told by Wei Siqi to come to Southwest, while Hou Xiangyang directed Tian Zhengbing to secure Shi Yuanbo’s release. Tian Zhengbing’s order met firm resistance from Zhou Yi’s subordinates, and Gan Yongsheng warned him to consider why the request had been routed through him.

• Wei Siqi called Zhou Yi and insisted that he come to Southwest when the time was right, even threatening to send the Falcon Squad to bring him there.
• Xue Zongxian asked Hou Xiangyang to help get his grandson Shi Yuanbo released from detention.
• Hou Xiangyang told Ding Erniu to have Tian Zhengbing discuss Shi Yuanbo’s release with Zhou Yi, while making clear that Shi Yuanbo must be released.
• Tian Zhengbing ordered Jiang Xuezeng to release Shi Yuanbo, but Jiang refused because Zhou Yi and Shao Mingbao had ordered that he remain detained.
• Tian Zhengbing called Gan Yongsheng for advice, and Gan urged him to consider why Ding Erniu had relayed Hou Xiangyang’s request to him instead of contacting Zhou Yi directly.

Tian Zhengbing ordered Gou Hongtao to remove Shi Yuanbo from custody, but Gan Yongsheng warned Zhou Yi, who arranged for the release to be blocked. Shi Yuanbo was taken away briefly before Yan Li stopped the police car and enforced Zhou Yi’s seven-day detention order.

• Gan Yongsheng persuaded Tian Zhengbing to send Gou Hongtao to the Public Security Management Corps to retrieve Shi Yuanbo, then secretly warned Zhou Yi about the plan.
• Zhou Yi called in instructions before leaving Jian Shuyue, and Gou Hongtao gathered trusted officers and forcibly took Shi Yuanbo from custody.
• Gou Hongtao told Shi Yuanbo that the woman he had harassed was Zhou Yi’s fiancée, and Shi recognized Zhou Yi’s name.
• Yan Li stopped Gou Hongtao’s police car at the compound gates and told Shi Yuanbo that Zhou Yi had ordered him held for seven days.