Chapter 133: We Meet Again, Director Song!

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At ten in the morning, two official vehicles from the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection left the city and headed straight for Kaiyang County.

In the lead Volkswagen Jetta, Yang Dong and Lü Yanqing sat in the back, while Jiang Hu drove.

“Brother Yang, you’re really going to make quite a splash in Kaiyang this time,” Lü Yanqing said, looking at Yang Dong with a broad smile.

First, he was surprised that Yang Dong had chosen him to accompany him to Kaiyang as one of the imperial commissioners.

Second, he was grateful. Yang Dong was constantly creating opportunities for him and helping him accumulate merit.

His promotion to principal section chief had originally been premature, but enough achievements could make up for his lack of seniority.

Whether or not he secured the promotion this time, he still owed Yang Dong a debt of gratitude for this favor.

Compared with all that, however, Lü Yanqing felt that Yang Dong was the true leading man at the height of his success, riding forward on a swift horse in the spring breeze.

The banquet for Song Sifeng in Kaiyang two days earlier had not gone particularly well.

Although Kaiyang County had ultimately sent Yu Baijiang and the others to assist with the case, officially it had still been handled strictly as official business.

Song Sifeng’s lack of enthusiasm had also reflected badly on Lü Yanqing and nearly jeopardized the First Special Task Force’s mission.

Still, Song Sifeng could not really be blamed. Though he served as secretary to Tan Long, a member of the Municipal Party Standing Committee and secretary of the County Party Committee, his actual authority was limited. The later dispatch of personnel from the Kaiyang County Public Security Bureau to assist the city had certainly required Secretary Tan’s final approval.

Song Sifeng must have made some effort as well.

But this time, Yang Dong was returning to Kaiyang as an imperial commissioner, holding the executioner’s sword and the demon-subduing whip.

The power of life and death over these nineteen officials rested in his hands.

With a single word, he could decide their fate.

Among those nineteen officials, were any of them Tan Long’s people? The county magistrate’s people? Or perhaps the people of other members of the County Party Standing Committee?

The intricate interests involved were multiplying by the moment.

If they wanted Yang Dong to show mercy, they would have to adopt a better attitude.

Tan Long probably could never have imagined that Yang Dong, whom he had been able to handle as a superior only a few days ago—and whom he had even used the opportunity to admonish—would now suddenly return as an imperial commissioner.

Life’s circumstances could truly be… exhilarating.

Tan Long’s attempt to discipline Yang Dong had been perfectly normal. He had probably assumed that Yang Dong was trying to use a favor as leverage, so he had first put Yang Dong in his place, then helped him afterward.

But Yang Dong had never intended to use the favor as leverage. He simply believed that since he had done Tan Long a favor, Tan Long should repay it. It would be best if they could then go their separate ways, owing each other nothing.

“What’s there to be proud of? My head is a complete mess right now. How are these nineteen problematic officials supposed to be dealt with? Should they be given a warning in accordance with regulations? A serious warning? Should we recommend that they be suspended for inspection? Transferred to other posts? Removed from office? Or even expelled from the Party and dismissed from public service?”

The troubled expression on Yang Dong’s face was genuine. He was not taking the opportunity to show off the authority in his hands.

He was truly in a difficult position.

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He supposed that the moment he entered Kaiyang, he would become a pawn in the eyes of every leader there.

Or perhaps a knife, a sword.

They would all want him to swing that sword at their opponents’ subordinates—to cut down their enemies’ followers while protecting their own.

“Brother Yang, no one is going to criticize you for how you wield the ruler in your hand, or whether you measure well or poorly.”

“Secretary Guan is backing you so strongly. What are you afraid of?”

“Just go ahead and act boldly.”

Seeing that Yang Dong was genuinely troubled, Lü Yanqing urged him onward.

If he were in Yang Dong’s position, he would not bother with any of the complications. He would simply act.

As long as he completed the task assigned by the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection, he would not need to show Kaiyang County any consideration.

Yang Dong noticed that Lü Yanqing had suddenly become rather bold. When they had investigated Zhao Pengcheng’s case, Lü Yanqing had wanted to report upward at every step and had been extremely cautious.

Still, Yang Dong understood why Lü Yanqing was being so aggressive now.

It was not Lü Yanqing who had been appointed imperial commissioner. That made it easy for him to urge Yang Dong forward without restraint.

If the task had been handed to Lü Yanqing, he would probably have lost his nerve long ago.

People made different decisions and thought differently when placed in different positions.

“Perhaps,” Yang Dong replied with a smile, without arguing with him.

His caution was not because the nineteen officials were difficult to deal with. It was because the secretary of the Kaiyang County Party Committee was Tan Long.

Tan Long, a member of the Municipal Party Standing Committee and secretary of the County Party Committee, would become the city’s Organization Department chief within a few years, and later serve as deputy secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and head of the United Front Department.

Yang Dong remembered Tan Long’s future career trajectory vividly from his previous life.

Tan Long’s future was broad and promising. If Yang Dong wanted to accomplish anything later on, he could not afford to offend this future deputy secretary of the Municipal Party Committee.

Even Tan Long as he was now was not someone Yang Dong could offend. After all, he was already a member of the Municipal Party Standing Committee.

Within the bureaucracy, one could not act according to one’s temper, much less according to one’s own wishes.

At home, one could throw a tantrum, be domineering, and behave arrogantly.

But try doing that within the system.

“Team Leader, there’s a car ahead!”

Just as Yang Dong was deep in thought, Jiang Hu suddenly spoke.

His thoughts interrupted, Yang Dong immediately looked toward the road ahead.

Sure enough, before the road into Kaiyang County stood three official vehicles from Kaiyang. Several middle-aged men dressed as officials were standing in front of them.

The youngest man at the front was Song Sifeng, whom Yang Dong had met just a few days earlier—the deputy director of the Kaiyang County Party Committee Office and liaison secretary to the county party secretary.

“Who let the word out?”

Seeing the men standing there clearly to intercept him, Yang Dong could not help feeling irritated.

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The decision by Secretary Guan of the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection to send him to Kaiyang had been made barely two hours earlier.

Yet Kaiyang seemed to have received the news extraordinarily quickly. Otherwise, they could not have prepared so far in advance.

“Brother Yang, there are no secrets within the bureaucracy.”

“No matter who let the word out, you’ll have to accept it.” Lü Yanqing patted Yang Dong on the shoulder and spoke with a smile.

He was not making fun of Yang Dong. He was simply reminding him that he would get used to it.

The Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection was not a single solid bloc, after all. With so many tangled networks and lines of connection, there was bound to be at least one that led to Kaiyang County.

“Pull over.”

Seeing that the Kaiyang vehicles had nearly blocked the entire road, Yang Dong knew they could not simply drive through.

With no other choice, he told Jiang Hu to stop.

After Jiang Hu pulled over, the second vehicle from the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection, following behind them, stopped as well.

The driver of the second car was Hou Donglai, with Hou Shuangquan in the front passenger seat.

Little Li sat in the back—the same member of the First Special Task Force who had previously been responsible for monitoring Zhao Pengcheng and had tricked him into making a fool of himself.

Yang Dong had decided to bring him along because Little Li was clever and quick-witted.

He had also noticed that Lü Yanqing intended to cultivate him.

Yang Dong did not mind doing a good deed and giving the young man a hand.

Once the car had come to a complete stop, Yang Dong pushed open the rear door on the right and got out.

He had been sitting on the right, while Lü Yanqing had occupied the left.

Even where people sat in a car carried significance within the bureaucracy.

Leaders of higher rank sat on the right side of the back seat; those of lower rank sat on the left.

When Yang Dong had arrived, he had originally intended to let Lü Yanqing sit in the back. But Lü Yanqing had refused outright, insisting, “You’re the imperial commissioner. You’re the team leader. I’m only a team member. Naturally, you should sit on the right.”

And so, with no alternative, Yang Dong had taken the right-hand seat.

“Director Yang, leaders, welcome to Kaiyang County!”

Song Sifeng’s face was wreathed in smiles as he hurried forward and took Yang Dong’s hand.

Their positions had changed. Yang Dong was no longer the one seeking his help.

Now, Song Sifeng’s manner was noticeably more deferential.

“Good to see you again, Director Song.”

Yang Dong extended his hand with a smile.

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