Chapter 147: The Breakthrough, Found!

Why do relatives and descendants of the same family sometimes not know each other?

This is not a difficult question to answer at all.

Back in the days when families migrated to the Northeast during the "Guan Dong" exodus, relatives did not necessarily settle in the same place; they might scatter across different parts of the three northeastern provinces.

They did so simply to stay alive, to survive.

Once settled in different locations, they might maintain some contact initially.

However, after establishing their own households and having descendants, those connections would gradually dwindle.

When the older generation passed away, the ties between the younger descendants became even sparser.

Give it another generation or two, and they would essentially become no different from strangers.

If relatives do not visit or keep in touch, they are indistinguishable from strangers.

That is why the saying goes: "A distant relative is not as helpful as a close neighbor."

The relationship between Yang Dong and Yang Xu was definitely more than that of distant relatives, as they fell well within the traditional five degrees of mourning—meaning they were within five generations of common ancestry.

Since they were within this kinship boundary, they still belonged to the same extended family.

Yet, Yang Dong genuinely had no idea he had such a relative, let alone one who was an official.

He had no knowledge of it in his past life, and his family had never mentioned it.

After all, his great-grandfather had been dead for over twenty years, and his grandfather had passed away several years ago.

Perhaps his parents knew?

Even if they did, given their status as ordinary farmers, they would have felt too embarrassed to reach out to an official relative.

However, all of this had changed now that Yang Dong was in the official system and had even become a deputy section-chief level cadre.

"Uncle, let's dispense with the small talk and begin our conversation."

Yang Dong's expression turned serious as he looked at Yang Xu.

Yang Xu immediately restrained his smile, though the tension and anxiety in his heart dissipated significantly.

Even with the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection conducting the interview, he was no longer afraid.

This was his nephew, after all; what was there to fear?

"Very well, Comrade Yang Dong, let us officially begin the interview." Yang Xu nodded, signaling his readiness.

Yang Dong opened his notebook and picked up his fountain pen.

"Comrade Yang Xu, you assumed office as the head of the county tax bureau in June of the year before last. Prior to that, you served as the deputy head of the tax bureau."

"According to the confession of Zhao Pengcheng, the former deputy head of the municipal party committee's organization department, you were involved in a power-for-money transaction with him. You spent one hundred thousand yuan to have him pull strings and secure your promotion to the position of head of the Kaiyang County Tax Bureau, which is at the substantive section-chief level. Is this true?"

Yang Dong maintained a strictly professional and impartial demeanor.

He would not bend the law for personal favors, nor would he abandon his principles just because the other person was a relative.

Even if this relative wasn't someone he had just discovered today, and even if it were his own younger brother who had committed a crime, he would never show partiality.

This was a matter of principle.

If Yang Xu thought he could gloss things over simply by invoking their kinship, he was gravely mistaken.

"I did indeed give Zhao Pengcheng one hundred thousand yuan, but it was because he coerced and lured me into it. He approached me of his own accord and told me that for just one hundred thousand yuan, he could pull strings to get me promoted to a section chief."

"Furthermore, the position he promised back then was not the head of the Kaiyang County Tax Bureau, but a post in a municipal-level unit."

"It's just that after taking the money, he failed to successfully secure a position for me in the city."

"He told me later that a municipal assignment was out of the question, but he could find a spot for me in Kaiyang County as the head of the Water Conservancy Bureau."

"I refused!"

"Then I asked for my money back, wanting it returned to me."

"He called me stingy, claiming that one hundred thousand yuan was far too little to get things done, and insisted that the whole mess was my fault."

"He also said the money had already been spent, and if I demanded it back, the fallout would be extremely detrimental to me."

"It might offend certain leaders within the municipal party committee."

"Under his threats and intimidation, I had no choice but to swallow my grievances in silence; I didn't dare make a sound."

"I simply didn't expect that in less than half a year, the tables would turn. I was nominated by the county party organization department as one of the candidate inspection objects for a substantive section-chief level cadre, and the organization interviewed me as well."

"The county head at the time—who is now Secretary Tan Long—also personally interviewed me, and I realized then that County Head Tan held me in high regard."

"Later on, I assumed the post of head of the county tax bureau, and I've held it ever since."

At this point, Yang Xu looked somewhat nervously at Yang Dong and asked, "Comrade Yang Dong, how will my actions be handled?"

Everything he said was the absolute truth—he had confessed completely and truthfully.

Because he knew very well that if he didn't tell the truth, what awaited him might be a formal double-designated investigation, and by then it would be too late for anything.

He was in his fifties and no longer harbored grand ambitions for his career; he only wanted to preserve his substantive section-chief rank and hold onto his position as bureau chief.

It would be even better if he could enjoy deputy-department-level treatment upon retirement.

Originally, he hadn't intended to cooperate so obediently.

However, upon learning that Yang Dong was his relative—his nephew—he changed his mind and decided to cooperate fully.

He believed that as long as he showed a good attitude, Yang Dong, being his junior, would definitely show him mercy.

Hearing this confession, Yang Dong's expression darkened further. He said to Yang Xu in a deep voice, "Comrade Yang Xu, soliciting and buying official posts is completely unacceptable."

"Based on your confession, you have already committed the crime of bribery."

"Regardless of whether Zhao Pengcheng coerced or lured you, it was ultimately due to your own flawed ideology and your failure to withstand the test."

"The crime of bribery must be handed over to judicial organs because it constitutes a criminal offense, and it must be dealt with according to law."

"According to Article 390 of our country's Criminal Law,"

"If the circumstances are serious and cause losses to the state, the offender shall be sentenced to criminal detention or fixed-term imprisonment of five to ten years."

"If the circumstances are extremely serious and cause major losses to the state, the offender shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of ten years or more, accompanied in both cases by the confiscation of property."

"Your actions have violated the law, and the outcome is far from optimistic."

Yang Dong's face sank completely.

Hearing these words from Yang Dong, Yang Xu instantly felt his entire body go weak; his legs could no longer support him, and his heart raced violently.

"I... I, I was passive in this! He, he coerced and lured me!"

Yang Xu truly never expected that his honest and cooperative confession would yield such a result.

If he were sentenced to prison, his entire life would be ruined.

Seeing that his words had frightened and terrified Yang Xu, Yang Dong knew his objective had been achieved.

"Comrade Yang Xu, don't panic. Listen to me."

Yang Dong waved his hand at Yang Xu to pacify him.

"A bribe-giver who voluntarily confesses their bribery behavior before being prosecuted may be given a mitigated punishment or have their punishment reduced."

"If the crime is relatively minor and plays a key role in cracking a major case, or if there is a major meritorious service, the punishment may be mitigated or exempted."

"Your actions do not belong to the category of active initiative, but rather passive involvement, which legally fits the facts of a relatively minor crime. Furthermore, if you can provide support regarding the case and render major meritorious service, punishment can be exempted."

"This is not because the two of us are relatives and I am cutting you some slack, but simply because the Criminal Law is written this way."

"Therefore, Comrade Yang Xu, are you willing to cooperate with our Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection to properly handle the Zhao Pengcheng case?"

Having asked this, Yang Dong leaned back in his chair and smiled inwardly.

The breakthrough had been found!