63: Chapter 63 Dong Zhensheng surrenders himself to the authorities

It was currently working hours, not some tea party hosted by the Provincial Party Committee.

Both men were busy with a thousand tasks every day, so there was no excessive small talk.

Secretary Shen Congwen took out a newspaper, handed it to Minister Li Yifeng, and got straight to the point: "Minister Li Yifeng, that report in today's newspaper regarding Gongfan County is quite significant!"

In fact, from the moment Secretary Shen Congwen called him, Minister Li Yifeng had already realized this aspect.

After all, this report was a criticism of the work of the Discipline Inspection Commission.

It was normal for Secretary Shen Congwen to inquire about it, but Minister Li Yifeng did not think he was coming to hold him accountable.

He must have sensed something in it.

Therefore, Minister Li Yifeng echoed him, replying: "Bureaucratism among certain individuals at the local level is too rampant, and the education of leaders' children has always been a problem."

Clearly, the direction from which Minister Li Yifeng viewed the problem was the issue of the education of leaders' children.

It was precisely why the matter of Pi Xiangyang interfering with the work of the Discipline Inspection Commission was so typical.

Every leader could see some negative influence from it.

"Indeed, our Party's cause cannot be ruined by these vermin. I intend to use this Gongfan County incident to set an example and provide a warning to those people!"

"In the later stages, I will have to trouble the Propaganda Department to pay more attention to this matter!"

At this point, Minister Li Yifeng knew Secretary Shen Congwen's true purpose.

It was very clear that Secretary Shen Congwen wanted to make a fuss about this matter to add some achievements to his own record.

If it were purely about handling internal Discipline Inspection Commission issues, it certainly wouldn't have required the Propaganda Department to get involved.

Since Minister Li Yifeng knew Secretary Shen Congwen's true purpose, he no longer had any reservations.

Where did the Propaganda Department's achievements come from?

Criticizing current evils, promoting positive energy, and setting examples were all achievements for the Propaganda Department.

Cooperating with Secretary Shen Congwen's work was no burden for Minister Li Yifeng.

It was just a Vice-County Mayor, after all, not involving any higher levels; at worst, it would just turn the sky of Gongfan County upside down.

"The Propaganda Department will resolutely implement the instructions of Secretary Shen Congwen."

"Haha, I wouldn't dare to instruct you, Minister Li Yifeng!"

After seeing Minister Li Yifeng off, Secretary Shen Congwen dialed the number of the Party Secretary of the Zhongzhou Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection.

On the phone, Secretary Shen Congwen sternly criticized the Party Secretary of the Zhongzhou Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection, ordering him to send a working group to strictly investigate the Gongfan County matter and produce a report!

The order came down from the province; how it was specifically executed was a matter for the local level.

For the past few days, Gongfan County had been in an eerie state of calm.

Logically speaking, the results regarding the handling of the three Discipline Inspection Commission staff members, including Ma Gaoxiang, should have been released very quickly.

But until now, there had been no movement from the County Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Pi Xiangyang had also found a high-sounding excuse to escape the disaster and was currently still being grounded by Vice-County Mayor Pi Yingshi.

No one knew that the Zhongzhou Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection had stationed people in Gongfan County and was secretly investigating the matter.

It was just that Vice-County Mayor Pi Yingshi was unusually low-key at the County Government.

Every day, he just went between home and work, no longer the powerful figure who could summon wind and rain as before.

This day, Secretary Xue Hongtao knocked on Sun Ning's door.

"Party Secretary, is something wrong? You look very pale!"

"Sigh, Deputy Township Head Dong Zhensheng came to see me. Why did he have to do it? Was a mere one hundred thousand yuan worth such a risk?"

Sun Ning really wanted to say that one hundred thousand yuan was not a small amount; in Zhongzhou City, one could buy a small thirty-square-meter apartment with it.

This was not the era after 2008 with trillions and trillions in investment; at this time, one hundred thousand yuan was a huge sum for ordinary people.

"Party Secretary, everyone has their own moral bottom line. The moment that bottom line is broken is the day their fate changes."

Sun Ning spoke very tactfully and did not have the heart to say that in a large forest, there are all sorts of birds.

Nor did he have the heart to say things like 'he who sows his own misfortune cannot live.'

He was just tactfully telling Secretary Xue Hongtao that it was a matter of personal integrity, and there was no need to be saddened by someone unworthy.

Secretary Xue Hongtao was not the type to be overly sentimental.

He continued: "As for Deputy Township Head Dong Zhensheng, he admitted his mistake, actively returned the illicit money, and confessed to the issues."

"According to him, it was Li Jincai who incited him. Sigh, I have failed as a Party Secretary."

Then, Secretary Xue Hongtao explained the whole sequence of events to Sun Ning in detail.

It turned out that after Pi Xiangyang failed to obtain the school project, he reached his hand into the industrial park.

At first, Deputy Township Head Dong Zhensheng was grateful for Sun Ning's trust and was diligent in his work!

When Li Jincai came to lobby him, he always refused righteously.

Later, Li Jincai used the banner of Vice-County Mayor Pi Yingshi and persuaded Deputy Township Head Dong Zhensheng through coercion and bribery.

The conditions were that one hundred thousand yuan and an illusory promise of moving into the county seat.

After Deputy Township Head Dong Zhensheng compromised, Pi Xiangyang wanted him to pre-select Dayang Company and also had Deputy Township Head Dong Zhensheng sign the contract at the highest bid price.

Because Sun Ning kept a close eye on the bidding process, Deputy Township Head Dong Zhensheng did not dare to mess around in that area.

Dayang Company used a trick, and the final prices of the other companies were all higher than Dayang Company.

When Secretary Xue Hongtao said this, the memory of that report from Deputy Township Head Dong Zhensheng appeared in Sun Ning's mind.

At that time, Deputy Township Head Dong Zhensheng said that although the project volume in the industrial park was small, it was quite complex, and the profit margins for those enterprises were low.

Therefore, their bids were infinitely close to the maximum price limit.

That time, Sun Ning believed him!

First, he thought that for such a small project, no one would likely be interested.

Second, he trusted Deputy Township Head Dong Zhensheng more and believed that he had no connections with people in the county!

For a moment, Sun Ning really wanted to slap himself twice.

After Secretary Xue Hongtao finished speaking, Sun Ning thought for a moment and then asked for Secretary Xue Hongtao's opinion: "Party Secretary, I will call Station Chief Zhu Zihao over right now!"

Ever since the day Station Chief Zhu Zihao became the station chief and came over, he hadn't been back for the past few days.

While Deputy Township Head Dong Zhensheng could not withstand the psychological torture and voluntarily confessed, Station Chief Zhu Zihao still hadn't come to report.

It seemed that the work over there was not going very smoothly either.

After Sun Ning made the call, it took about forty minutes for Station Chief Zhu Zihao to arrive at Sun Ning's office.

"Township Head, Party Secretary, hello. I'm sorry, I happened to be in the county when Township Head called, which is why I was late!"

Secretary Xue Hongtao seemed to appreciate Station Chief Zhu Zihao. Seeing him return, he chuckled and teased: "It's okay. If you had arrived in ten minutes, I would have really doubted the judgment of Township Head and myself in selecting personnel."

After hearing this, Station Chief Zhu Zihao scratched his head shyly and said: "How would I dare to sit in the office all day? If Township Head found out, he would break my legs!"

Sun Ning looked at Station Chief Zhu Zihao before him; this man was not entirely straightforward.

When it was time to explain, he would do so in a roundabout way.

When it was time to tactfully express loyalty, he would do so, with every sentence taking Township Head as the main premise.

Seeing Station Chief Zhu Zihao's hurried appearance, Sun Ning first refilled Secretary Xue Hongtao's cup of water, then poured one for Station Chief Zhu Zihao!

Sun Ning handed the water to Station Chief Zhu Zihao and said: "I called you over because there is an important clue I want to tell you. Dayang Company is suspected of malicious bidding; you can start from this aspect."

As he spoke, Sun Ning briefly explained it to Station Chief Zhu Zihao again.

"Township Head, I was just about to report to you. I have already made key progress on my end and am currently gathering evidence!"