289: Chapter 289 Investigating the Hidden Clues

Outside the Town Government compound in Heishi Town.

Director Xu Jie held a black marker and added a line to the "Progress of Spring Festival Relief Fund Disbursement" section on the whiteboard.

"Funds under review. Reviewer: Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan. Status: Pending signature."

The handwriting was large and neat.

The common folk on the street, who had been eyeing this money for their New Year's shopping, gathered around as soon as the whiteboard was updated—over a dozen of them.

"Why did it stop? Didn't you say yesterday the list was verified and the money for meat and flour would be disbursed today?" a man in an old cotton-padded jacket asked, rubbing his hands together.

Director Xu Jie capped her marker.

"The new Deputy Town Mayor, Liu, is in charge of finance."

"He said the budget estimates need to be recalculated to prevent risk. The paperwork is currently sitting on his desk; without his signature, the Finance Office can't release the funds."

The man grew anxious.

"The quotas were decided by all of us together, and the fake welfare recipients were all kicked off! The money was squeezed out from the town's own budget, so what kind of calculations is a newcomer like him doing?"

"It's almost New Year's, and our families are waiting for this money to buy a couple of feet of cloth." A few farm women complained as well.

Director Xu Jie didn't say much. She turned to leave, leaving behind a parting remark: "The rules were set by Town Mayor Liu, and even the Town Party Committee has to follow procedure. If you're in a hurry, go to the second floor and ask Town Mayor Liu how far along the calculations are."

With a few words, she directed the problem to the second floor.

Office of the Executive Deputy Town Mayor.

Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan sat behind his desk, with over a dozen detailed ledgers spread out and a calculator at his side.

He had spent half his life working at the County Finance Bureau; he could find flaws in even the most complex, messy accounts.

This time, Secretary Lu Guoliang had sent him down, and Deputy Secretary Qin Yuanshan was waiting for him to catch something on Zhu Wenhao.

By holding up this disbursement, he intended to set a rule for the cadres of Heishi Town: financial power rested in his hands, Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan.

He opened the first ledger to verify unit prices, quantities, and signatures.

After calculating for an hour, Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan's brow furrowed tighter and tighter.

The procurement prices for rice, flour, and oil were not only lower than market retail prices, they were even three points lower than the wholesale prices in the county.

The supplier's name and phone number were all listed, with price comparison sheets from three other vendors attached to the back.

Each struggling household on the list had cross-signatures from village cadres, village-stationed officers, and mass representatives, and even two on-site investigation photos attached.

The books were watertight.

Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan put down the calculator and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

This accounting was masterfully done.

Not even a dime of office supply expenses had gone through this account.

He wanted to find fault, but had no way to start.

Noisy footsteps came from outside the door.

Before he could call them in, the office door was pushed open.

Several old men from Heishui Village and representatives of merchants from South Street crowded in.

"Town Mayor Liu," the lead old man said, holding a dry tobacco pipe. "We saw the whiteboard downstairs, saying you were calculating the accounts. How is the calculation going? Everyone's pots at home are waiting for rice."

Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan stood up.

"Folks, financial disbursements are subject to discipline. I've just taken over, and I must be responsible for every cent. Everyone go back first; once it's calculated, it will naturally be issued."

"What else is there to calculate?" The old man tapped his tobacco pipe against the desk.

"That list was identified one by one by everyone in our village, and the price for the goods was negotiated in the county by Old Li from South Street. Where is there a single cent of fraud in this?"

"If you don't trust us, come down to the village with us right now and see for yourself, house by house!"

"Secretary Zhu said the books are under the sun. You're keeping the paperwork locked in this room—what kind of 'sunlight' is that?"

Seven or eight people blocked the room, speaking one after another.

Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan's face heated up.

He was used to suppressing subordinates with documents and regulations in conference rooms, but he had never dealt with common folk who came directly to his door.

The common folk didn't care about the checks and balances of officialdom; they only looked at the progress on the whiteboard and only recognized the food in their pots.

Zhu Wenhao hadn't fought him for financial power; instead, he had tied financial power directly to the stomachs of the common folk.

Whoever dared to block this money was the villain in the eyes of the common folk.

Outside the door, Town Mayor Luo Xingbang passed by carrying a thermos cup. He glanced inside but didn't go in, quickening his pace as he walked away.

This acting secretary was slippery; he would never touch such messy, offensive business.

Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan looked at the stack of flawless ledgers on the table, then at the group of expectant masses before him.

If he didn't sign, he wouldn't be able to leave this office door today.

If the matter reached the county level, Secretary Lu Guoliang wouldn't protect him either.

"Don't be anxious, folks." Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan picked up the signature pen on the desk. "I have finished verifying it here. The unit prices are reasonable, and the procedures are compliant."

He signed the words 'Approved for disbursement, Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan' on the disbursement form and stamped it with his name seal.

"Take this to Director Liu of the Finance Office." Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan handed the form to the leading old man. "The funds can be released this afternoon."

The old man took the form and glanced at the words on it.

"Wouldn't it have been better to sign earlier? What a waste of time."

The masses took the form and turned to leave the office.

The room was quiet.

Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan slumped into his chair, a thin layer of sweat seeping from his back.

This first fire of his new appointment hadn't burned Zhu Wenhao; instead, it had roasted him.

He picked up his phone and dialed Deputy Secretary Qin Yuanshan's number.

"Secretary Qin," Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan said in a low voice. "The accounts in Heishi Town are watertight. Public supervision has formed a closed loop, and financial power is tied to public opinion. If I force a block on the accounts, the common folk could tear down the Town Government."

Deputy Secretary Qin Yuanshan didn't speak on the other end of the line.

After a long while.

"Keep to yourself. Do not touch his bottom line." Deputy Secretary Qin Yuanshan only gave one instruction before hanging up.

Deputy Secretary's office.

Director Xu Jie walked in with the signed disbursement form stub.

"Zhu Wenhao, Town Mayor Liu Wenxuan has signed. The common folk pushed the door open and asked him directly; he didn't hold out for even a minute."

Zhu Wenhao was reviewing documents and didn't look up.

"He's a smart man. Smart people are most afraid of trouble. After being blocked by the common folk once, he'll know how to sign in the future."

Director Xu Jie put the stub into the file box.

"There's movement from the province regarding that report letter from Deputy Team Leader Liu Hao."

Zhu Wenhao put down his pen.

"Speak."

"The letter was delivered directly to the Provincial Anti-Gang Office. The banner it's flying is that you and Su Qinghan are engaging in benefit transfer." Director Xu Jie pulled out a chair and sat down. "Someone at the Provincial Anti-Gang Office transferred the letter to the Case Management Office of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection."

Zhu Wenhao picked up his teacup and blew away the steam.

"Transferring it to the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection means the province is going to initiate a preliminary review." Zhu Wenhao took a sip of water. "This move by Mayor Su Changming isn't brilliant, but it's disgusting enough."

Director Xu Jie nodded.

"This letter from Deputy Team Leader Liu Hao is clearly intended to force Su Qinghan to recuse herself during the Finance Bureau inspection. As long as Su Qinghan is transferred away, those messy accounts at the Finance Bureau can be temporarily covered up."

"Using the regulation on relative recusal to make an issue out of it—you can't find fault with it legally." Zhu Wenhao leaned back in his chair. "Secretary Li Li of the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection is under no small amount of pressure."

"Should we take the initiative to submit materials from Heishi Town to the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection to prove the innocence of the three-party supervision account?" Director Xu Jie asked.

"No need." Zhu Wenhao's gaze was calm. "Team Leader Wei just left Heishi Town. The Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection knows better than anyone whether the ledgers are clean. If we submit materials proactively at this time, it would be like 'three hundred taels of silver buried here'—a confession of guilt."

"Then, what about Su Qinghan..."

"Secretary Li Li is a person who follows rules. Since there is already wind of this from the province, in order to protect the credibility of the Inspection Team, she will handle it according to procedure." Zhu Wenhao stood up and walked to the window.

"Su Qinghan will be removed from the Finance Bureau Inspection Team." Zhu Wenhao gave his conclusion.

Linjiang City, Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection office building.

Secretary Li Li sat behind her desk, with a letter transferred down from the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection on the table.

Su Qinghan stood before the desk, her back straight.

"Su Qinghan, you've seen the letter from the province." Secretary Li Li looked at the young cadre before her. "Someone has reported you by name for having a conflict of interest with Zhu Wenhao, Deputy Secretary of the Heishi Town Party Committee, pointing out that the account set up by Zhu Wenhao during the restructuring of Heishi Mining is suspected of being in violation of regulations. You are required to implement relative recusal during this inspection of the Municipal Finance Bureau."

Su Qinghan's gaze fell on the letter.

"Secretary Li, the accounts of Heishi Town were just verified by Team Leader Wei of the Second Office of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, and there are no problems. The evidence that I retrieved regarding the irregular allocation of the overall funds at the Finance Bureau is conclusive."

"The purpose of this letter is to stop me from continuing to investigate." Su Qinghan articulated clearly.

"I know." Secretary Li Li nodded. "But in discipline inspection work, procedural justice is the bottom line. Since the report letter has come down, in order to prevent being caught by the opposing lawyer on procedural loopholes in court later, you must temporarily recuse yourself."

Secretary Li Li stood up.

"Starting from today, you are withdrawn from the Municipal Finance Bureau Inspection Team."

Su Qinghan did not argue; she knew this was the only choice.

"I obey the organization's arrangement."

Secretary Li Li walked over to her and patted her on the shoulder.

"Hand over the work to the comrades of the Second Team first." Secretary Li Li said in a low voice. "The second team will continue to investigate the accounts that are on the surface. Keep an eye on the hidden threads yourself."

Su Qinghan responded.

"Understood."

She turned and walked out of the office.

Hilton Hotel, in a private room.

Deputy Team Leader Liu Hao held a glass of red wine.

His phone rang; he received a text message: Su Qinghan has been withdrawn from the Finance Bureau Inspection Team.

Deputy Team Leader Liu Hao threw his phone on the table and downed the glass of wine in one gulp.

The private room door was pushed open, and Su Xiaoxiao walked in, her eyes red.

"Deputy Team Leader Liu Hao, my dad made me hand over all the official seals of the Xingyu Studio, saying I'm not allowed to manage it anymore."

Deputy Team Leader Liu Hao stood up, walked over, and took her hand.

"Su Xiaoxiao, your dad is protecting you. Leave the rest to me."

"But the account is frozen, and that money..."

"Don't worry about the money." Deputy Team Leader Liu Hao interrupted her.

He had to take advantage of the gap left by Su Qinghan's transfer to cut off all the remaining loose ends.

In Heishi Town, the night wind had stopped.

Zhu Wenhao sat in his office, looking at the text message Su Qinghan had sent on his phone screen.

"[Already recused according to procedure, switched to secret investigation.]"

He turned his phone over on the desktop.