Chapter 74: Battle Among the High Council

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… One hour later, in the offices of the Municipal Party Committee, within Wu Xinkai’s office.

After Secretary-General Zhu Yangming had sought instructions from Secretary Wu Xinkai, the meeting began.

At the very start, the previously smiling faces of Deputy Secretary Wei Liming and Organization Minister Gu Tong grew solemn and serious.

Wei Liming glanced at Wu Xinkai but, seeing that Wu showed no intention of presiding, took up his duty as the Committee’s Executive Deputy Secretary to lead the meeting.

Though this was just a small, high-level gathering of the Standing Committee, with only the most senior members present, it was a meeting nonetheless and required a proper formality.

Wei Liming could already imagine that chairing this meeting would not be an easy task. For today’s topic was to discuss the handling of several cadres in Lingyun City who had violated laws or discipline.

“Secretary Wu, Mayor Hou, comrades, I will chair this session.”

“The content of this meeting is to discuss the handling of certain cadres in Lingyun City who have violated laws or discipline.”

“This is the list submitted by the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection. I’ll read it out.”

Seated on the sofa, Wei Liming picked up the list and, one by one, read through all the names.

“There are twenty-two municipal-level officials involved, of whom nineteen were transferred by the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, and the remaining three were discovered by our own Commission.”

“Tan Zhongfeng, male, Party member, forty-eight years old, Deputy Section Chief of the Planning Division, Municipal Water Resources Bureau.”

“Bao Ling, female, Party member, forty-three years old, Deputy Section Chief of the General Affairs Division, Municipal Education Bureau.”

“Jian Zili, male, Party member, fifty-one years old, Section Chief of the Finance Division, Municipal Education Bureau.”

“Tong Gang, male, Party member, fifty-four years old, President of the Municipal Science and Technology Association.”

…

Wei Liming spoke slowly, taking up a considerable amount of time, but he was meticulous, not missing a single name.

As he continued, the ranks and positions of the implicated cadres grew ever higher.

“Gu Santong, male, Party member, forty-eight years old, Director of the Municipal Education Bureau.”

“Tian Guanghan, male, Party member, forty-eight years old, Executive Deputy Secretary-General of the Municipal Government, Executive Deputy Director of the Office.”

“Yin Tiejun, male, Party member, forty-one years old, Member of the Party Group of the Municipal Government, Secretary-General and Office Director of the Municipal Government.”

With the last name read, the full list of twenty-three implicated officials was announced.

“Regarding the issues of the aforementioned cadres, the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection has already formed an investigation team. I now invite Comrade Guan Mushan, Secretary of the Commission, to report on the progress.”

Wei Liming, emotionless as a reciter, followed the agenda strictly, never once expressing a personal opinion.

“Comrade Mushan, please hold your report for a moment.”

Just as Guan Mushan was about to speak and report on the investigation team’s progress, Secretary Wu Xinkai suddenly straightened in his seat, raising a hand to stop him.

Wu’s face was tinged with anger—controlled, but unmistakable. His expression was perfectly managed.

“Comrades, for such things to happen in Lingyun City—for such black sheep, such vile officials to exist—my heart as Secretary of the Party Committee is truly pained.”

“Our work at the Committee has not been good enough. Especially I, as Secretary, have not fulfilled the duty of a parental figure. I am responsible for this.”

“But do you all have no responsibility? None at all?”

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Suddenly, Wu Xinkai turned, pointing at the other four members.

“Take the Municipal Education Bureau, for example. Of the twenty-three names, six are from the Education Bureau alone, including Director Gu Santong.”

“The Education Bureau has a serious problem!”

Bang!

At this, Wu Xinkai struck the tea table with his palm. If his anger was contained before, now it was boiling over, his fury palpable.

The entire office fell silent, not a sound to be heard.

“Mayor Hou, the Education Bureau is a municipal department under your government. As mayor, do you bear no responsibility?”

“It’s not just the Education Bureau. The Municipal Government’s Office itself has problems. Both the Secretary-General and Executive Deputy Secretary-General are implicated. How did this happen?”

“Comrade Hou Yong, I expect you to give me an explanation—no, you must give an explanation to the three million citizens of this city!”

Wu Xinkai’s methodical approach was clearly meant to direct the blame toward Hou Yong.

Yet his accusations were justified and well-founded.

So many from the Education Bureau and the Government Office were implicated—how could the mayor not be responsible? As the head of the municipal government, could he truly claim none?

To forestall Hou Yong from shirking responsibility, Wu Xinkai had stated first that, as Party Secretary, he himself was accountable.

In doing so, he left Hou Yong with no way out—if even the Party Secretary admitted fault, how could the second-in-command claim innocence?

At this moment, the room was tense and solemn.

Organization Minister Gu Tong raised his thermos and took a sip of tea.

Deputy Secretary and United Front Minister Wei Liming sat silent and expressionless, his gaze fixed straight ahead.

Guan Mushan looked as though he wanted to speak but, sensing the atmosphere, remained silent for now.

This was a confrontation between the two top leaders. As Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection, it was best not to get involved. All he needed to do was clarify Yin Tiejun’s case later; everything else was outside his concern.

Hou Yong was not surprised that Wu Xinkai opened fire on him directly.

Their rivalry in Lingyun City was nothing new. Only on holidays did they manage to be cordial and exchange pleasantries. Otherwise, they either avoided one another or, when they did meet, inevitably clashed.

Most of the time, Hou Yong came out ahead.

“Secretary Wu, comrades, as mayor, I must of course take responsibility for any problems in Lingyun City.”

“But isn’t that beside the point of today’s meeting?”

Hou Yong leaned forward slightly, brows furrowed as he spoke.

With a single line, he seized back the initiative.

All Wu Xinkai’s elaborate groundwork was undone by this direct challenge.

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“Isn’t today’s meeting about handling those cadres who broke the law or violated discipline?”

“Secretary Wei, am I correct?”

Hou Yong turned to Wei Liming, face serious.

Wei Liming nodded impassively. “Yes, Mayor Hou.”

“That’s good, then.”

Hearing this, Hou Yong immediately smiled.

Wei Liming’s candid answer was the strongest support he could have asked for. And it wouldn’t incur Wu Xinkai’s displeasure either, as the meeting was indeed called to discuss the handling of those cadres.

“If, as Secretary Wu suggests, we must pursue accountability, so be it—that’s only proper.”

“But who can claim their rice jar has no weevils or rat droppings?”

“And if accountability is truly to be pursued, I fear that even Comrade Lu Zheng, now undergoing chemotherapy in his sickbed, will not escape blame.”

“He was the previous Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection, holding that post for years. If all those named on the list have problems, Comrade Lu Zheng must bear responsibility for negligence.”

Hou Yong’s intent was not merely to clear himself. Since Wu Xinkai had set up the ladder, he would climb as high as it went.

If accountability was to be sought, then Wu Xinkai’s old ally, the former Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection, Lu Zheng, was the one who should be held most responsible.

Wu Xinkai’s face changed instantly at this.

Who in the city didn’t know that Lu Zheng, the previous Commission Secretary, was Wu Xinkai’s long-standing partner? Back in their days in Kaiyang County, one was County Party Secretary, the other County Commission Secretary. They had been colleagues for so many years.

And now Hou Yong had dragged the gravely ill Lu Zheng into the fray.

“Let’s do as Mayor Hou suggests and focus our discussion on how to handle these implicated cadres.”

Wu Xinkai spoke at once, taking a step back and dropping the pursuit of accountability. Otherwise, Lu Zheng would not escape censure for negligence.

As Party Secretary, if he couldn’t even protect a retired, ailing old comrade like Lu Zheng, it would be a disgrace.

Seeing this, Hou Yong let the matter drop, not pressing Lu Zheng further. His intention was never to pursue Lu Zheng, only to prevent Wu Xinkai from continuing down the path of blame.

“Comrade Mushan, you may speak now. Please report on the progress of the investigations.”

With a smile, Hou Yong gestured toward Guan Mushan, then leaned back, legs set apart in a relaxed, leader’s posture.

Guan Mushan took in the expressions of Wu Xinkai and Hou Yong and sighed inwardly.

Secretary Wu was getting old at last. Nearly sixty, it was hard for him to best Hou Yong, who was almost fifteen years his junior.