22: Chapter 22 The Provincial Party Committee Takes Action; A Storm is Approaching

Outside the Linjiang City highway toll station.

Three police motorcycles were lined up in a V-formation, their police lights flashing alternately.

The captain of the traffic police detachment of the Municipal Public Security Bureau personally led the team, standing on the shoulder of the road and waiting.

The Provincial Party Committee convoy smoothly drove out of the toll lane.

The leading black Audi A6 pulled over and came to a steady stop.

The Toyota Coaster behind it stepped on its brakes accordingly.

The car door slid open.

Qi Tian stepped down from the Coaster and walked straight toward the Audi in front, which bore a Provincial Party Committee license plate.

When the Organization Department escorted cadres to their new posts, the rules were extremely strict.

The Coaster was for collective research and investigation specifications.

The Audi was the leader's private car.

When entering the city and the venue, the hierarchy of primary and secondary had to be crystal clear.

The Audi's door closed again.

The traffic police detachment captain pressed his walkie-talkie.

The police motorcycles sounded their sirens, keeping the volume very low.

With the police cars leading the way, the convoy merged into the main road of Linjiang City's urban area, heading straight for the Municipal Party Committee auditorium.

On the long steps in front of the Municipal Party Committee auditorium, a crowd of people was bustling.

Municipal Party Committee Secretary Tian Limin stood right in the center.

Today, he wore a dark blue lapel jacket over a white shirt, with no tie.

To his left was Mayor Su Changming.

He was dressed in a sharp suit and leather shoes, standing tall and straight, with his hair neatly combed.

To his right was Secretary Zhu Tianhe.

Dressed low-key, he stood with his hands clasped in front of him, as unmoving as a mountain.

Behind them, members of the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee, vice mayors, and major leaders of Renmin University and the CPPCC were lined up in order.

The convoy drove into the courtyard and stopped at the bottom of the steps.

Secretary Tian Limin walked down the steps toward the Audi.

The car door opened, and Qi Tian had just stepped one leg out.

Secretary Tian Limin had already extended both hands.

“Minister Qi, you've had a hard journey.”

“The roads are slippery from the rain. I hope it didn't delay your schedule?”

“Comrade Limin.”

Qi Tian extended his right hand.

“It wasn't hard. Bringing two capable generals to Linjiang is like presenting Buddha with borrowed flowers—I'm just here to share in the good fortune.”

The two exchanged a few pleasantries.

Qi Tian looked up at the Municipal Party Committee leadership team coming forward to greet him.

Mayor Su Changming stepped forward first and shook Qi Tian's hand with both of his.

“Minister Qi, thank you for the Provincial Party Committee's care for Linjiang.”

“Comrade Changming, new positions bring new challenges. The city's grand game of economic chess will depend on your moves from now on.”

Qi Tian patted the back of his hand and let go.

It was a standard, by-the-book encouragement.

Then, Qi Tian turned to Secretary Zhu Tianhe.

Secretary Zhu Tianhe extended his right hand.

Qi Tian grasped it firmly.

It was not a brief touch and release, but a solid, firm grip.

He even pulled him half an inch closer to himself.

“Comrade Tianhe.”

“A few days ago, Minister Xiao privately made a special mention of the sheer drive you showed when you were the director of the state-owned machinery factory, pushing production so hard.”

“He said that now that you are in the position of deputy secretary, you must bring that same style of work to handling party building and personnel matters.”

Their clasped hands shook vigorously five or six times.

The handshake lasted for a full dozen seconds.

This extraordinary handshake was witnessed by the numerous Linjiang cadres standing on the steps.

Minister Qi was making it unmistakably clear to everyone: standing behind Secretary Zhu Tianhe was the full support of the Provincial Organization Department.

Mayor Su Changming stood half a step away.

An impeccable smile remained on his face.

Only his thumb, pressing hard against his index finger's knuckle, betrayed the turmoil in his heart.

Before the pleasantries in front could finish,

the door of the Coaster behind also opened.

Team Leader Qiu Rui, wearing his signature old-style jacket and carrying a thermos, stepped down from the vehicle.

Secretary Li Li, a member of the Linjiang Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee and Secretary of the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection, had already been waiting for a long time.

She quickly stepped forward: “Team Leader Qiu, you've had a bumpy ride.”

“Would you like to rest in the meeting room first, or...”

Secretary Tian Limin and Qi Tian also walked over at this moment.

Secretary Tian Limin extended his hand: “Team Leader Qiu, welcome to the Provincial Inspection Team for coming to station and guide our work.”

“Would the comrades from the Inspection Team like to join us and sit on the stage for today's general meeting?”

Team Leader Qiu Rui shook Secretary Tian Limin's hand, giving it a brief pat before pulling back.

“Secretary Tian is too polite.”

“We won't join the hustle and bustle of the general meeting.”

“That is the Organization Department's home turf. If we from the Inspection Team sit up there, the comrades attending the meeting below won't even dare to drink water.”

The few joking words carried a stiffness that kept people at a distance of a thousand miles.

Team Leader Qiu Rui continued, “How about this, please trouble Secretary Li to arrange a vehicle.”

“We will go straight to the guesthouse. Our quarters need to be settled early.”

“We must set up the tip-off boxes and public hotlines first.”

“Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, we will hold an inspection mobilization meeting in the main meeting room of the Municipal Party Committee.”

“Secretary Tian, does this arrangement seem appropriate?”

How experienced was Secretary Tian Limin? He immediately nodded, “Perfectly reasonable.”

“Comrade Li Li, you will coordinate with Team Leader Qiu throughout the process. Be sure to provide proper logistical support for the Inspection Team.”

No welcoming banquet, no entering the venue, no staying in high-end hotels.

Going straight to the guesthouse to set up tip-off boxes.

The Provincial Inspection Team's unsentimental style of doing things hung a sense of crisis directly over the heads of the Linjiang City officialdom.

Secretary Tian Limin walked with Qi Tian, surrounded by officials, into the Municipal Party Committee auditorium.

The more than three hundred cushioned seats arranged in a fan shape below were completely filled.

The four major leadership bodies of Linjiang City, the heads of all bureaus and offices directly under the municipality, and the primary party and government leaders of all districts and counties were all in place.

Zhu Wenhao, as a staff member of Cadre Division 2 of the Municipal Party Committee Organization Department,

was responsible for meeting sign-ins and logistical guidance today.

At this moment, he was sitting in the corner of the very last row of the auditorium.

His gaze passed over the bustling crowd and landed on the rostrum.

In the past, during the morning court at the Fengtian Hall, civil and military officials would shout 'long live'.

Power was concentrated in the hands of a single person.

The modern power structure before his eyes was scattered among every name on the rostrum.

The leaders took their seats in order.

Secretary Tian Limin presided over the meeting, with Qi Tian in the center.

Mayor Su Changming and Secretary Zhu Tianhe sat on either side.

Qi Tian pulled the microphone closer and opened the official red-headed document in his hands.

There was absolutely no noise in the venue.

Zheng Jianguo, the Director of the Development and Reform Commission, was sitting on the left side of the third row.

His hands were crossed on his knees, his thumbs rubbing back and forth.

A few days ago, Political Commissar Wang Haitao, the Executive Deputy Director, had openly defected during the Organization Department's research and investigation.

Mayor Su Changming had not answered his phone calls for two consecutive days.

A chill of being abandoned crawled up his spine.

Qi Tian's voice spread to every corner through the speakers.

“By decision of the Provincial Party Committee after research: Comrade Su Changming is nominated as the candidate for Mayor of the Linjiang City People's Government...”

Dense applause rang out from below the stage.

Mayor Su Changming stood up and bowed to the audience.

He had finally attained this position he had dreamed of.

The applause subsided, and Qi Tian continued to read.

“Appointing Secretary Zhu Tianhe as a member, standing committee member, and deputy secretary of the CPC Linjiang Municipal Party Committee, while continuing to serve as the Executive Vice Mayor of the Linjiang City People's Government...”

Another round of applause ensued.

The Provincial Party Committee's intention was that before a suitable candidate was found, Secretary Zhu Tianhe would continue to serve as the Executive Vice Mayor.

Secretary Zhu Tianhe stood up, turned around, and bowed.

His movements were steady, calm, and unhurried.

Zhu Yuntong sat in the back row.

His right hand rested on the armrest of his seat, his index finger tapping a gentle rhythm.

His gaze shifted horizontally, landing on Zheng Jianguo, who was currently clapping.

To conquer the world, one must first cut off the enemy's supply lines.

Once Mayor Su Changming became mayor, the first thing he would do was to grasp the economic reins and establish his authority.

The Phase III project of the Chengnan High-tech Industrial Park was one of the three fires of his new administration.

As long as a bloody wound was ripped open in this project,

not only would Mayor Su Changming's fire fail to light, but it would also burn right through his own hands.

Two days ago, Su Qinghan had already thoroughly investigated the background of that 'Shengda Construction'.

A shell company with a registered capital of three million yuan had swallowed eighty million yuan in advance payments.

The funds had gone through a special approval from Zheng Jianguo of the Development and Reform Commission.

The anonymous tip-off letter sent to the Provincial Inspection Team was highly detailed.

It was accompanied by a hidden map of the capital flows.

This was done by Su Qinghan at Zhu Yuntong's instigation.

When the Discipline Inspection Commission handled cases, they emphasized the chain of evidence.

Ordinary corruption reports often sank like stones into the ocean.

But as long as the clues were precise down to specific bank transactions and the cross-shareholding ratios of shell companies,

the Inspection Team would be able to follow the vine to get the melon, delivering a fatal blow.

Team Leader Qiu Rui was currently on his way to the guesthouse.

That guillotine had already been sharpened.

On the stage, Secretary Tian Limin began to make his statement of commitment.

He emphasized leadership team unity, economic development, and not failing the heavy trust of the Provincial Party Committee.

Mayor Su Changming and Secretary Zhu Tianhe also delivered their respective inaugural speeches.

They were well-balanced, standard bureaucratic essays.

The closing music of the general meeting rang out.

The cadres began to file out of the venue.

After the meeting, Municipal Party Committee Secretary Tian Limin said to Qi Tian alone in the VIP room:

“Minister Qi, this arrangement for Comrade Tianhe... a deputy secretary concurrently serving as the executive vice mayor, Linjiang has never had this before.”

Qi Tian smiled, picked up his teacup, and blew away the floating tea leaves.

“The province took into account the continuity of policy. Changing generals mid-way might affect the pace of economic progress.”

“Let there be a transition period first. Once the situation stabilizes, we will discuss it further.”

He set down the teacup, the lid making a crisp, light clink against the rim.

“Secretary Limin, as the leader of this team, you must steer the ship well.”

This seemingly happy-for-all distribution of power

was merely the beginning of another strangulation.

Meanwhile, the true chess player had already left the table.