Chapter 124 Caught Red-Handed

The head of the Municipal Organization Department, who holds the power over official appointments, was brought here by Yang Dong through a report to Guan Mushan, who then coordinated the invitation to have Gu Tong witness a fine performance.

Once Gu Tong arrived, he indeed witnessed a fine performance.

However, his expression was quite complex and rather grim. After all, one of his deputy department heads and a section chief from the Cadre Division had both run into trouble. How could the man at the top look pleased?

Gu Tong kept a straight face and said nothing, simply taking the hotel ledgers handed to him by Yang Dong and flipping through them.

"The Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection has its own procedures for handling cases. I will not offer an opinion; handle it as you see fit." After a long silence, Gu Tong finally spoke to Yang Dong.

Yang Dong nodded. "Please rest assured, Minister. This will not implicate other leaders in the Organization Department."

"Comrade Yang Dong, I trust your work. Secretary Guan has mentioned you to me." Gu Tong’s expression softened into a smile as he added, "By the way, do you remember last year, when you got into a confrontation with the urban management officers while defending a vegetable farmer setting up a street stall?"

Yang Dong certainly remembered. It was etched in his memory; he would likely never forget it. If not for that incident, he would have been promoted to the deputy section level last year. Because of the negative publicity it caused, several deputy secretaries-general of the municipal government had expressed disapproval, especially Tian Guanghan, who had explicitly stated that Yang Dong could not be cleared for a deputy section-level promotion. Thus, he had missed his chance last year. Fortunately, everything had gone smoothly this year, and now that the publicity period was over, he was a deputy section-level leader in his own right.

"How did you know about that, Minister?" Yang Dong asked, quite surprised and puzzled.

Seeing the confusion on Yang Dong’s face, Gu Tong couldn't help but smile. "That vegetable farmer was an elder from my hometown."

"Alright, Comrade Yang Dong, Comrade Lu Yanqing, you two go ahead with your work. I’ll be heading back now." Gu Tong left it at that, pushed open the car door, and stepped out.

Yang Dong and Lu Yanqing immediately followed him out of their vehicle. Gu Tong handed the hotel ledgers back to Yang Dong.

"Comrade Yang Dong, do not have any reservations. The Municipal Organization Department will not shield such corrupt cadres. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection have repeatedly issued orders to root out the black sheep within the ranks of our cadres. As the head of the Municipal Organization Department, I state here and now: no matter who the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection uncovers, our department will never protect them. Of course, be mindful of the impact; do not disrupt the broader situation."

After saying this, Gu Tong shook hands with both Yang Dong and Lu Yanqing before turning to board his official car.

The Audi A6, with license plate Jijiang G00008, slowly drove away.

Watching Gu Tong depart, Lu Yanqing let out a sigh of relief and said to Yang Dong, "I don't know why, but I feel such immense pressure whenever I see Minister Gu."

"That is natural. After all, he holds the power over our official careers," Yang Dong replied with a smile, fully understanding the sentiment. Aside from the Municipal Party Secretary and the Mayor, every cadre fears the Minister of Organization and the Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection most. The Organization Minister controls appointments and performance reviews, and everyone knows what the Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection oversees.

"Ask Team Leader Yu and his men how they handled the illicit funds after Lin Liangming arrived home," Yang Dong suggested to Lu Yanqing.

Lu Yanqing nodded and pulled out his phone to call Yu Baijiang. After several days of cooperation, their relationship had become quite amicable. "Team Leader Yu, how far has your surveillance of Lin Liangming gone?"

Yu Baijiang’s voice came through the receiver. "Team Leader Lu, I was just about to call you with a report. We have indeed made a major breakthrough. After Lin Liangming got home, he took out three suitcases and put them in his car. We tracked him to a forest, where he actually tried to bury the money underground. He was caught red-handed by Comrades Lu Yike and Jiang Hu. He has now been taken into custody by your colleagues from the Commission for Discipline Inspection."

Hearing this, a smile appeared on Yang Dong’s face. He hadn't originally intended to move against Lin Yaodong’s father, Lin Liangming—or rather, he hadn't had the time to get to them yet. But sometimes, these things were truly unexpected bonuses. Who would have thought that the Zhao Pengcheng case would end up implicating Lin Liangming? Well, in that case, it would be a disservice to the Party’s discipline and the nation’s laws not to pursue him.

Yang Dong knew well that Lin Liangming was far from clean. Lin Yaodong had spent thirty thousand yuan on a gold necklace for Han Wen—that was something a normal person couldn't afford. Furthermore, the family owned an Audi A6. It was 2008, not 2018. It was obvious that Lin Yaodong’s family had money, and the source was certainly not clean. Considering Lin Liangming’s salary as a section-level cadre was less than four thousand a month, and Lin Yaodong’s was less than three thousand, even adding in his mother’s salary, their standard of living—buying cars, houses, and gold necklaces—was impossible to sustain. Moreover, Lin Yaodong was known for his lavish spending, often dropping hundreds or even over a thousand yuan per meal.

*Lin Yaodong, this really isn't me targeting you,* Yang Dong thought. *It’s your father who didn't keep his nose clean. I hadn't even made a move, and your father has already fallen.*

"Caught red-handed, plus the ledgers," Yang Dong said, looking at Lu Yanqing. "Team Leader Lu, your First Task Force is on the verge of closing the case."

Lu Yanqing looked at Yang Dong with deep emotion. "Team Leader Yang, this is all to your credit. Without you, it would have been quite difficult for us to handle Zhao Pengcheng."

"You can't say that. Team Leader Lu, you just hadn't shifted your perspective yet. Even without our Tenth Task Force, with the capabilities of your team, solving the case was only a matter of time." Yang Dong had to admit he was being hypocritical, but sometimes, hypocrisy was a necessity.

"Team Leader Yang—Brother Yang—once the work of the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection’s investigation team concludes, I am treating you to dinner!" Lu Yanqing reached out, his face full of warmth. He had decided he wanted to be friends with Yang Dong.

"Brother Lu, if I pick somewhere expensive?" Yang Dong asked with a playful grin, shaking his hand.

"Haha, order whatever you like. I’ll sacrifice a month’s salary if I have to. I’ll make sure the comrades of your Tenth Task Force eat and drink well." Lu Yanqing was in a fantastic mood; the progress on the Zhao Pengcheng case made him very happy. With this achievement, he could see a promotion to the section-chief level on the horizon. He couldn't hope for the deputy-division-level position of Director of the Case Review Room, but the position of Director of the Cadre Supervision Office, vacated by Wu Sancai, was a section-level post. He had a good chance of competing for it.

As for whether he would succeed... he looked at Yang Dong, and a thought struck him. Given his new brother’s relationship with Secretary Guan and Secretary Wei, if Yang could put in a good word for him, it would surely be effective. It seemed he would have to spend a bit of money on this dinner after all.