278: Chapter 278 A Reprimand to County Magistrate Gu

County Mayor Gu Mingchuan glanced at the desk calendar.

"Old Pang, there's only half a month left until the Lunar New Year."

"Stability at the end of the year is a priority; the eyes of the province and the city are all fixed on the lower levels."

"No matter how big the fish, we must hold off for now. Wait until the New Year passes and spring arrives before we reel it in."

On the other end of the line, Secretary Pang Jianguo picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"This fish is different," Secretary Pang Jianguo said in a flat tone.

"It is the biggest fish I have ever handled at the County Commission for Discipline Inspection."

County Mayor Gu Mingchuan perked up. He straightened his posture and pushed aside the documents on his desk.

"Old Pang, who are you talking about?"

"Deputy Secretary Qin Yuanshan."

Secretary Pang Jianguo stated the name.

Deputy Secretary Qin Yuanshan, Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee and Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, was the true local tyrant of Qingjiang County.

"What's going on?" County Mayor Gu Mingchuan pressed.

Secretary Pang Jianguo recounted the initial investigation results of the special operation, as well as the process fifteen years ago when Deputy Secretary Qin Yuanshan, then the Party Secretary of Liuhe Town, signed off on the joint acceptance and final accounts for the Yuejin Reservoir.

There was falsification of engineering materials, misappropriation of funds, and a massive gap in the books.

After listening, County Mayor Gu Mingchuan quickly calculated the direction of this chess game in his mind.

"Old Pang, how many people know about this matter right now?"

"Two file clerks from the archives room, plus myself," Secretary Pang Jianguo replied. "I took the materials directly back to my office and locked them in the safe. Nothing has been leaked."

"I see," County Mayor Gu Mingchuan decided. "Organize the existing information into a summary and prepare it. I will give Zhu Wenhao a call."

Secretary Pang Jianguo did not respond immediately.

County Mayor Gu Mingchuan continued: "He has close ties with the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection and can get a word in with Secretary Li Li. Deputy Secretary Qin Yuanshan is a Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee and a city-managed cadre. If we really want to move against him, the County Commission for Discipline Inspection faces jurisdictional obstacles; the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection must get involved. I want to see what Zhu Wenhao thinks."

"That was my intention as well," Secretary Pang Jianguo agreed. "A case this big is too much for the county to handle. I wanted to ask for your opinion first. Since it's decided, I will go organize the materials."

The call ended.

County Mayor Gu Mingchuan leaned back in his chair.

If Deputy Secretary Qin Yuanshan fell, the power landscape of Qingjiang County would undergo a complete reshuffle.

Secretary Lu Guoliang's influence in the County Party Committee Standing Committee would be significantly weakened, and he, as the County Mayor, would be able to truly control Qingjiang County.

He picked up his personal phone and dialed Zhu Wenhao's number.

Heishi Town, Deputy Secretary's office.

Zhu Wenhao was looking at a construction schedule for the Old River Levee repairs when his phone on the corner of the desk rang.

He answered the call.

"Wenhao, we've dug up something big here in Qingjiang County."

County Mayor Gu Mingchuan's voice was laced with urgency as he laid out the Liuhe Town reservoir case reported by Secretary Pang Jianguo.

Zhu Wenhao listened quietly to County Mayor Gu Mingchuan's account, but he did not follow up on what the other man said.

"County Mayor Gu," Zhu Wenhao said calmly, "those files that Secretary Pang Jianguo found should be handled according to organizational procedures. File them where they belong and seal them as required."

County Mayor Gu Mingchuan was stunned on the other end of the line.

"Wenhao, this is a golden opportunity to take down Deputy Secretary Qin Yuanshan! The Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection..."

"If you strike a snake but don't kill it, you will suffer the consequences."

Zhu Wenhao interrupted him.

"It's a cold case from fifteen years ago. Can you convict a Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee based solely on a signature on an acceptance form?"

County Mayor Gu Mingchuan was speechless.

"Whether there were problems with the project or if the accounts were falsified can only be proven as an airtight case by finding everyone involved in the acceptance back then—the supervisors, the handlers from the Water Conservancy Bureau, and the contractors—and investigating them one by one."

Zhu Wenhao analyzed the situation clearly.

"There are so many people involved, and over a span of fifteen years, some have retired, some have been transferred, and some are no longer even among the living. This isn't something that can be cleared up in a moment."

"You're in a rush to go to the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection now, but what grounds would they have to place him under 'shuanggui'? Just because of a flawed signature?"

Zhu Wenhao put down the fountain pen in his hand.

"You'll alert the enemy. Once they catch wind of it, they'll destroy the evidence and send away the people who know the truth. That incomplete file in your hand will be nothing more than a piece of waste paper."

"Instead, you'll end up with a reputation for ousting colleagues and framing others."

"We should stick to covert investigations, County Mayor Gu. Don't you agree?"

County Mayor Gu Mingchuan's grip on the phone tightened, and his palms began to sweat.

"Wenhao, you're right," County Mayor Gu Mingchuan said, lowering his tone. "I didn't consider this carefully enough."

Zhu Wenhao did not stop there.

"County Mayor Gu, don't underestimate Deputy Secretary Qin Yuanshan," Zhu Wenhao said, his tone shifting, aiming directly at County Mayor Gu Mingchuan's weak spot.

"A few days ago, regarding the appointment of Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan, you were thoroughly outmaneuvered by him."

"You handed a perfectly good opportunity to expand your power into the hands of an ingrate."

County Mayor Gu Mingchuan's breath hitched.

Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan.

This Executive Vice Town Mayor, whom he had personally selected and recommended to be sent down to Heishi Town, had gone to check the bottom line of the tripartite regulatory accounts on his very first day in Heishi Town.

"You sent one of Deputy Secretary Qin Yuanshan's moles down as your own trusted aide."

As the County Mayor of Qingjiang County, County Mayor Gu Mingchuan had just gained a bit of real power, only to have such a massive loophole exploited.

"Can you guarantee that within the County Commission for Discipline Inspection, besides that Executive Deputy Secretary Tian Wenguang, there aren't other people planted by Deputy Secretary Qin Yuanshan?"

Zhu Wenhao asked.

County Mayor Gu Mingchuan sat in his office, unable to say a word.

"Wenhao, are you saying that there's a risk of a leak on Old Pang's side too?" County Mayor Gu Mingchuan regained his voice.

"That is exactly what I mean."

Zhu Wenhao showed no mercy.

"This matter requires extreme caution."

"Success depends on secrecy; failure comes from leaks."

"Before there is ironclad evidence forming an irrefutable chain of proof that points directly to Deputy Secretary Qin Yuanshan himself, the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection will never easily make a move."

"Moving against a Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee without ironclad evidence would also put the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection in an extremely passive position."

"When that happens, it's you who will be the unlucky ones."

After hearing this rebuke, the initial heat in County Mayor Gu Mingchuan's heart cooled completely.

Unable to save face, he could only bring up Secretary Zhu Tianhe.

"Wenhao, how about you contact Secretary Zhu Tianhe and see what he thinks? After all, this involves coordinating connections in the city, and Secretary Zhu Tianhe is far-sighted; perhaps he has a different perspective."

Zhu Wenhao looked at the bare tree trunks outside the window.

"County Mayor Gu," Zhu Wenhao said clearly, "my opinion is my father's opinion."

"If you have any doubts, you can call my father yourself to verify."

Having said that, Zhu Wenhao moved the phone away from his ear and pressed the hang-up button.

A busy signal came from the receiver, and County Mayor Gu Mingchuan slowly put the phone down.

He sat in his chair for a long time before picking up the red phone on his desk and calling Secretary Pang Jianguo.

"Old Pang, lock up the files and send someone you trust to secretly investigate the construction team from that year. Don't let a single whisper leak out."

County Mayor Gu Mingchuan issued the order.

Heishi Town, Deputy Secretary's office.

Director Xu Jie, holding a document, had heard every word of the conversation on that phone call.

Zhu Wenhao placed his phone face down on the desk.

"Wenhao," Director Xu Jie began, "by rejecting him so directly to his face, and even bringing up Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan to throw in his face, won't this County Mayor Gu feel uncomfortable?"

Alliances between superiors and subordinates require a sense of decorum, and County Mayor Gu Mingchuan is, after all, the head of a county.

Zhu Wenhao picked up his teacup and took a sip of water.

"That is exactly the effect I wanted."

He placed the teacup back in its original spot.

"The situation in Qingjiang County has been progressing too smoothly lately. Secretary Qiu Dehai fell, Executive Vice Mayor Qian Dayong was arrested, and County Mayor Gu Mingchuan's prestige in the county has been rising."

"This County Mayor Gu has already started to get a bit carried away."

Zhu Wenhao pointed out the crux of the matter.

"For those in high positions, the thing to fear most is subordinates becoming complacent and losing their sense of reality."

"He has been blinded by the victories before him; he didn't even notice that Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan was a mole planted by the other side, let alone learn a lesson."

"Secretary Pang Jianguo just handed him a lead, and before the chain of evidence was even fully grasped, he rushed over to me in a panic to claim credit."

"Asking me to contact the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection to investigate a Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee who also serves as the Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission."

Zhu Wenhao looked at Director Xu Jie.

"If I don't discipline him, sooner or later, because of this arrogance, he will ruin the foundation we worked so hard to build in Qingjiang County."

Director Xu Jie understood this art of managing people; the discipline was meant to make this blade sharper and more clear-headed.

"The situation in Linjiang City is also very complex," Zhu Wenhao continued. "Su Qinghan led a team to inspect the Municipal Finance Bureau and did indeed catch a few financial loopholes, but these loopholes will ultimately only fall on the heads of a few division chiefs."

"Mayor Su Changming has been operating in Linjiang City for many years; he is like a centipede that doesn't die even when it falls."

"He has lost a few rounds, lost face for Deputy Secretary-General Fang Jianping, and lost the personnel authority of the Audit Bureau, but it hasn't damaged his core."

"He still holds the financial reins of the Municipal Government and can mobilize resources to counterattack at any time."

Zhu Wenhao stood up and walked to the map.

"Right now, we can only wait."

"Wait for an opportunity, wait for the other side to make an irreversible mistake."

"Once that moment arrives, the fragmented pieces of evidence we have in our hands can be assembled into a blade that can strike a fatal blow."

Director Xu Jie followed his gaze to the map.

"What kind of opportunity are we waiting for?" she asked.

The phone on the desk emitted a rapid ringing sound.

The screen lit up, and the name "Director Qi Shan" pulsed on the caller ID.

Zhu Wenhao turned around and looked at the phone.

He walked back to the desk, picked up the phone, and pressed the answer button.

"Isn't this the opportunity right now?"

Zhu Wenhao said to Director Xu Jie.