With the testimony from the health bureau leader, Qin Shouren was released that same evening, while the police, in order to appease the public, met with several reporters and answered questions about the progress of the case.
Suddenly there was a breakthrough, as someone delivered a recorded conversation to the police.
In the conversation, one voice belonged to a high-ranking leader, while the other voice was unfamiliar. However, the content was captivating—a heated argument.
The unfamiliar voice complained about spending so much money, yet the leader had failed to handle things properly, urging him to exert pressure on the police.
Though simple, it caused a huge uproar. For the mid-1980s, corruption and bribery were common, but not as overt or exaggerated as in later times, and evidence like recordings was rare, especially to appear in this case, which shocked the leadership.
