214: Chapter 214 Epilogue 2

The clamor of Heishi Town faded into silence after the conclusion of the fiscal rebate conference.

The past three days had been calm and peaceful.

The coal dust on the streets had been swept clean by the sanitation workers, and not a single soul could be found speaking loudly in the courtyard of the Town Government.

Let us turn the clock back to the day the conference ended.

Surrounded by a group of cadres, Secretary Lu Guoliang walked toward the black official vehicle.

Secretary Qiu Dehai followed closely behind, attempting to solicit a word of reassurance from the County Party Committee secretary before they parted ways.

"Secretary Lu, regarding the upcoming work in Heishi Town..." Secretary Qiu Dehai began tentatively.

Secretary Lu Guoliang did not stop; he walked straight to the car, and Liaison Officer Lin Hao opened the back door.

Secretary Lu Guoliang bent down and sat inside, leaving Secretary Qiu Dehai with nothing but his back the entire time.

There was no handshake, no pleasantries, not even a polite formality.

The car door slammed shut, and the vehicle sped away.

Secretary Qiu Dehai stood alone in the cold wind, his hand frozen in mid-air.

That afternoon, Secretary Qiu Dehai drove hurriedly to Qingjiang County to seek an audience with Deputy Secretary Qin Yuanshan.

As for what the two discussed in the deputy secretary's office, outsiders had no way of knowing.

It was only known that Secretary Qiu Dehai did not stay overnight in the county as was customary.

That very night, he drove back to Heishi Town quietly.

Since then, Secretary Qiu Dehai had locked himself in his office.

Except for necessary meal times, the door remained tightly shut, and he rarely stepped out.

Even when Executive Vice Mayor Qian Dayong went to ask for instructions on work, he was blocked outside the door.

Thursday morning.

Zhu Wenhao sat behind his desk, holding a wolf-hair brush, practicing calligraphy on waste paper with his wrist suspended.

Director Xu Jie pushed the door open on time, holding the day's schedule, and walked to the desk.

"Secretary Zhu, this is your schedule for today." Director Xu Jie placed the schedule on the corner of the desk.

"At nine o'clock in the morning, the Petitions Office has a report on accumulated cases from previous years; at eleven o'clock, some technicians from the Agriculture Bureau are coming down to survey the soil of the demonstration base in Heishui Village. I have arranged for someone to coordinate with them."

Zhu Wenhao did not stop writing, only acknowledging with a sound.

Heavy footsteps came from outside the door.

Police Chief Zhao Gang walked in with long strides, carrying a tall stack of case files.

"Secretary Zhu. Good news." Police Chief Zhao Gang placed the files on the desk and pulled out a chair to sit down.

"Have you cracked the hard nuts?"

"They confessed everything." Police Chief Zhao Gang pointed to the statement on top. "These thugs who usually act like tyrants in the village couldn't last two rounds against the interrogation methods of the Municipal Public Security Bureau."

"They collectively testified that the disruption of the conference was entirely hired by Clan Elder Zhang Laoqi with real money. How much cash each person received and how many benefits were promised were clearly stated in black and white."

He pulled out a transparent evidence bag containing an old mobile phone with a cracked screen.

"This was found on Zhang Yue, who led the riot. The technical department performed data recovery, and it contains all the communication records between him and Clan Elder Zhang Laoqi. The evidence is irrefutable; the Zhang Clan has voluntarily put their necks under the guillotine this time."

Zhu Wenhao took the evidence bag.

"Zhang Yue confessed that their original plan was not like this." Police Chief Zhao Gang continued to detail the interrogation. "Clan Elder Zhang Laoqi's plan was to incite a riot after Secretary Qiu Dehai finished speaking and it was your turn to take the stage. It would not only humiliate you on the spot but also firmly pin the label of intensifying cadre-mass conflicts on you."

"With all their calculations, they didn't account for Zhang Di from Director Zhang Qiu's side. Consumed by anger, he jumped out and started swearing at the top of his lungs before Zhang Yue gave the order, forcibly advancing the plan."

After listening to this confession, Zhu Wenhao picked up the white porcelain teacup beside him.

"In that case, we really should thank Comrade Zhang Di." Zhu Wenhao took a sip of tea.

"If he hadn't lost his temper and acted prematurely, interrupting Secretary Qiu Dehai's speech, we would have had much more trouble dealing with the dirty water being splashed on us."

"By a twist of fate, it actually saved us some effort," Police Chief Zhao Gang agreed.

"What is the situation with the County Public Security Bureau?" Zhu Wenhao put down the teacup.

"An official letter arrived this morning." Police Chief Zhao Gang replied. "Bureau Chief Zheng Dachuan called personally. He was probing our stance, asking when the Town Police Station would take final action against the Zhang Clan in Heishui Village. He said the County Public Security Bureau has prepared police forces and is ready to be dispatched to assist at any time."

Zhu Wenhao tapped his fingers slowly on the desk.

Zheng Dachuan was Deputy Secretary Qin Yuanshan's man.

A few days ago, Secretary Lu Guoliang publicly reprimanded the County Public Security Bureau for its slow response at the conference. Zheng Dachuan had been stung by Secretary Lu Guoliang's reprimand and was eager to take a stand on the crackdown on organized crime.

"Sooner is better than later." Zhu Wenhao made the decision.

"The matter has been fermenting for three days. The statements are consistent, and the physical evidence is complete. It is time to strike hard at these malignant tumors entrenched in the countryside."

His gaze was calm. "Launch the general offensive at midnight tomorrow night. Have the County Public Security Bureau personnel assist with the outer perimeter blockade, and you will lead the Municipal Public Security Bureau SWAT team for the main arrests."

"Understood, I will go make the arrangements." Police Chief Zhao Gang accepted the order.

"Also." Zhu Wenhao changed the subject.

"Find an opportunity to give Zhang Yuanhang a warning."

Police Chief Zhao Gang was stunned.

"With such a huge conspiracy involving dozens of thugs, and with Zhang Yuanhang living in Heishui Village with his sharp ears and eyes, how could he not have heard a whisper of it?" Zhu Wenhao hit the nail on the head.

Police Chief Zhao Gang scratched his head.

"I also think this matter is suspicious. I asked him the night of the incident. He said that ever since we uncovered the strategy of the main branch inciting the elderly to block the door, the main branch has been extremely guarded against him and wouldn't let him near core meetings, so he didn't hear any specific news."

"Absurd." Zhu Wenhao spat out the two words coldly.

"If that rabble from the main branch could be so airtight in their operations, how did the details of what Clan Elder Zhang Laoqi discussed in the ancestral hall end up on our desk intact last time?"

He looked at Police Chief Zhao Gang.

"It's not that Zhang Yuanhang didn't find out; he deliberately suppressed the information."

"Why would he do that?"

"Because he wanted to watch this fire burn." Zhu Wenhao analyzed the psychology of the veteran. "He wanted to use the hands of these thugs to escalate the matter to an irreparable point. He knew clearly that as long as the people from the main branch made a move in front of the County Party Committee secretary, there would be no room for reconciliation or compromise between the Town Government and the Zhang Clan."

"This is a blatant strategy of using a borrowed knife to kill. He treated us as the knife to settle his old scores."

Police Chief Zhao Gang clenched his fists.

"That bastard, he even dared to scheme against us! I'll go back and deal with him."

"No need to be angry." Zhu Wenhao raised his hand to stop him.

"Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. To be able to scheme to this extent, this person not only has courage but also a keen sense of smell. Do not underestimate anyone struggling at the bottom."

"I have looked at the petition records for the past ten years." Zhu Wenhao advised. "The second and third branches were bullied, and occasionally someone came to the town to report problems. Only this Zhang Yuanhang stood up to the village tyrant Zhang Xing, and even got into a physical confrontation with Village Secretary Zhang Dahai over the fish pond contract. But he never complained to the higher authorities, nor did he write a single report letter."

"What does this mean?"

"It means he had long seen through the ecosystem of collusion between officials and criminals. He knew that before meeting someone who could truly uphold justice, rashly petitioning would only invite more cruel retaliation."

"He was enduring, lying in wait, waiting for an opportunity to kill with one blow."

"Such a person, if used well, is a sharp sword for defending the land; if used poorly, he is a thorn stuck in the sole of your foot."

"Then how should we handle him?" Police Chief Zhao Gang asked for instructions.

"First, end this case in Heishui Village. Once the Zhang Clan's main branch is destroyed, a power vacuum in the Village Committee is inevitable." Zhu Wenhao laid out his strategy.

"You send him a message. Tell him to keep a close eye on Clan Elder Zhang Laoqi during this time."

"If he does this job well, I will reserve the position of Heishui Village secretary for him when the Village Committee is re-elected."

Just as Police Chief Zhao Gang was about to nod, Zhu Wenhao added the second half of the sentence.

"However, the other members of the Village Committee must absolutely not be decided by him alone."

"Heishui Village cannot get rid of one Village Secretary Zhang Dahai only to prop up another Zhang Yuanhang."

"I understand." Police Chief Zhao Gang was convinced. "Give him a stick and a carrot. Give him the position of Village Secretary, but keep the personnel power under the town's control. I will go do it now."

After Police Chief Zhao Gang left, Zhu Wenhao turned his gaze to Director Xu Jie, who had been standing on the side.

"Director Xu. A rustic brute like Clan Elder Zhang Laoqi could precisely grasp the speaking order of our conference and even attempt to cause trouble at the exact moment I was to take the stage. Where do you think this news leaked from?"

Director Xu Jie's face was cold and stern.

"The speaking process list was only in the hands of the County Party Committee Office, Secretary Qiu Dehai, and a few core staff members in our Party and Government Office." Director Xu Jie analyzed. "Either Secretary Qiu Dehai leaked it to Clan Elder Zhang Laoqi privately to use a borrowed knife to kill, or there are still cockroaches in the Party and Government Office that haven't been cleaned out."

"Regardless of which possibility it is, leaking secrets from the center is a major taboo in administration." Zhu Wenhao crossed his fingers. "To be safe, the purification project of the Party and Government Office must be screened again. I want every document flow in this building to be transparent, and I will not tolerate even a grain of sand. Maintaining the absolute purity of the administrative team is the bottom line."

"Understood. I will draw up a list today and conduct a cross-check on everyone who has handled the documents. I will not leave any blind spots." Director Xu Jie made a military pledge.

"Also." Zhu Wenhao continued to issue instructions. "You need to prepare the plan for the re-election of the Heishui Village Committee in advance."

"We cannot let the Zhang Clan dominate alone. When drafting the list, absorb the young people from the third branch, as well as the villagers with other surnames who have been suppressed for a long time, into the Village Committee team in a reasonable proportion."

"Grassroots governance relies on checks and balances, and also on listening to different opinions. The more people involved in village affairs, the more transparent the distribution of benefits becomes. Only in this way can the lives of the common people truly improve."

"Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. What we need to do is not to be those high-and-mighty officials who bark orders, but to hand the oars of the boat to the vast majority of the people."

Director Xu Jie gripped the document in her hand tightly.

"Yes, Secretary Zhu. I will produce the first draft of the plan before I get off work today."

Zhu Wenhao nodded slightly, picked up the brush again, and his gaze fell outside the window.