35: Chapter 35 Zhu Tianhe's Shattered

When Secretary Tian Limin finished speaking, the office fell into a deathly silence.

Secretary Zhu Tianhe sat on the sofa with his hands on his knees, his knuckles turning pale from the pressure.

The position of Executive Vice Mayor was given to Secretary Tian Limin's trusted aide, Standing Committee Member Zhang Zhiqiang.

The position of Director of the Development and Reform Commission was given to Mayor Su Changming's direct subordinate, Director Liu Yuejin.

Secretary Tian Limin and Mayor Su Changming had carved up the two most powerful positions in the Municipal Government in just ten short minutes.

Yet he, the full-time Deputy Secretary nominally in charge of personnel, was like an outsider, unable to interject a single word.

"Tianhe."

"Do you understand the current situation of Political Commissar Wang Haitao, whom you initially recommended?"

Secretary Zhu Tianhe did not respond.

"The comrades from the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection are still auditing the accounts at the Development and Reform Commission. The office was sealed immediately after the former director met with an accident." Secretary Tian Limin tapped his fingers on the desk rhythmically. "The Development and Reform Commission is in chaos now. As the Executive Deputy Director, does Political Commissar Wang Haitao not bear any responsibility at all?"

"Promoting him to the top position at a time like this would be a 'promotion with baggage.'"

"From an organizational standpoint, that is unacceptable."

Secretary Tian Limin's tone was not heavy, but every word felt like a mountain, pressing down hard on Secretary Zhu Tianhe.

"You are currently in charge of Party affairs and cadres. Ensuring the first line of defense in personnel selection is your duty." Secretary Tian Limin's gaze fell upon him. "We cannot entrust important positions to a comrade who is subject to controversy."

Mayor Su Changming sat to the side, looking down at his notebook.

"And then there is Section Chief Ma Jiancheng of the Treasury Division of the Finance Bureau." Secretary Tian Limin paused. "He was just taken away by the Discipline Inspection Commission this morning. Mayor Su Changming sent me the minutes of the Municipal Government executive meeting; you, Secretary Zhu Tianhe, were the one who originally proposed Section Chief Ma Jiancheng for the position of Section Chief."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe's Adam's apple bobbed violently.

This was digging up his old accounts and breaking his bones!

"Using people you are comfortable with is one thing, but principles and bottom lines are another." Secretary Tian Limin looked at Secretary Zhu Tianhe, his voice turning cold. "As leaders, our assessment of cadres must be comprehensive. We must learn from the lessons of failing to identify flaws in personnel. You are in charge of personnel; if the people you recommend keep having problems, the Municipal Party Committee will be in a very passive position when the Provincial Party Committee holds us accountable!"

Promotion with baggage.

Failure to identify flaws in personnel.

Two heavy labels were placed upon him just like that.

Secretary Tian Limin had cleverly transformed the two thunderous actions of the Discipline Inspection Commission into shackles that limited Secretary Zhu Tianhe's power to make personnel recommendations.

Political Commissar Wang Haitao was trapped in a whirlpool, and Section Chief Ma Jiancheng's fate was unknown.

Secretary Zhu Tianhe found that he couldn't even find a word to refute.

Secretary Tian Limin turned his head to look at Mayor Su Changming.

"Changming." His face instantly softened. "You are a veteran Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee. We have worked together in the leadership team for so many years, and our cooperation has always been good."

"Secretary Zhu Tianhe has just taken office and still needs an adaptation process for many of the Municipal Party Committee's overall planning tasks." Secretary Tian Limin pointed in the direction of Secretary Zhu Tianhe. "As a veteran comrade, you need to help him look after some matters from the sidelines. Passing on experience and mentoring is an excellent tradition of the organization."

"For comrades who have newly arrived, the organization's requirement is to help them get on the horse and then accompany them for a stretch."

Secretary Tian Limin looked at Mayor Su Changming with a hint of a reprimand in his eyes.

"In this regard, I must criticize you, Mayor Su Changming. Your work has not been up to par, and you have not fulfilled the responsibilities expected of a veteran comrade."

This criticism, delivered in front of Secretary Zhu Tianhe, firmly elevated Mayor Su Changming's seniority and status above his own!

Mayor Su Changming immediately closed his notebook, sat up straight, and adopted an extremely earnest attitude.

"Secretary Tian is right to criticize me; I accept it!"

"When I was at the Municipal Party Committee before, I felt that I could never learn the overall perspective and leadership art that Secretary Tian possesses. It was my negligence. In the future, I will definitely communicate more with Secretary Zhu Tianhe and pass on the organization's excellent style."

The two of them sang in harmony, their coordination seamless.

Seeing that both the reprimand and the appeasement were in place, Secretary Tian Limin turned his head back to Secretary Zhu Tianhe.

"Secretary Zhu Tianhe, you are still young and have drive; it is inevitable to make some mistakes." The lines on Secretary Tian Limin's face softened. "Last time I went to the provincial capital for a meeting, I specifically went to pay a visit to our old secretary, the current Minister Xiao Dingyu of the Provincial Organization Department."

Hearing the name Minister Xiao Dingyu, Secretary Zhu Tianhe suddenly looked up.

"Minister Xiao Dingyu chatted with me for a long time." Secretary Tian Limin said with a smile. "He specifically instructed me to mentor you well. You have a knack for managing the economy at the grassroots level, but your overall perspective still needs to be tempered."

"In the future, when Mayor Su Changming and I retire, the heavy burden of Linjiang City will have to be carried by you."

Painting a big picture.

This is a common method in the political arena.

First, use a cold stick to break someone's bones, and then use an ethereal future vision to seal off all your thoughts of resistance.

Secretary Zhu Tianhe sat in the leather sofa, with no room to counter the moves.

From being the director of a state-owned machinery factory, he had been promoted all the way by his father-in-law and old leaders into the Municipal Government. He had always been handling specific operations but had never truly gone down to the districts and counties to serve as the top leader.

The top leader of a district or county is the true "feudal lord."

One must carve out a bloody path through the intertwined web of interests.

That kind of cruel struggle experience, Secretary Zhu Tianhe did not have.

In the past, when his father-in-law was in office, everyone in the city gave him three points of respect.

Later, after his father-in-law retired, he was able to live peacefully by relying on his father-in-law's remaining influence.

Now, his father-in-law's remaining influence had dissipated, and he had been pushed into the position of Deputy Secretary, which was more about theory than practice.

All his shortcomings were exposed at this moment.

Facing old foxes like Secretary Tian Limin and Mayor Su Changming who had been struggling in the grassroots mud for decades, all his counterattacks seemed so pale and powerless.

"Let's end the meeting here today; everyone go and implement the decisions."

Secretary Tian Limin picked up his teacup.

Serving tea to see the guest out.

Secretary Zhu Tianhe stood up, walked to the door, and opened it.

He did not look back and walked straight out of the Municipal Party Committee's Office No. 1.

The light in the corridor shone on the floor tiles, and his shadow was stretched very, very long, like a lonely puppet.

...

Evening, Municipal Party Committee residential compound, Villa No. 4.

Secretary Zhu Tianhe's official car drove into the courtyard an hour earlier than usual.

Zhu Yuntong came home from work, pushed open the front door, and a smell of tobacco, thick enough to be suffocating, rushed towards him.

The living room lights were not on, only a dim floor lamp was lit.

Secretary Zhu Tianhe was sitting rigidly on the sofa, holding a cigarette in his hand, and in the crystal ashtray in front of him, cigarette butts had piled up into a small mountain.

He was not reading the newspaper, nor was he watching the news broadcast.

Like a sculpture that had lost its soul.

Li Juan was sitting on the single sofa on the other side, rarely not going to play mahjong.

Zhu Yuntong changed into slippers and placed his briefcase on the cabinet in the entryway.

Hearing the movement, Secretary Zhu Tianhe didn't even lift his eyelids, continuing to puff on his cigarette.

Li Juan stood up and walked quickly to the entryway.

"Zhu Yuntong."

She lowered her voice, her tone full of anxiety. "Go and persuade your father. He has been sitting there smoking since he came back, hasn't eaten dinner, and won't say anything when asked."

Zhu Yuntong's gaze passed over Li Juan's shoulder and landed on the somewhat hunched back in the living room.

"Mother, I understand."

He took off his coat, hung it up, turned to walk to the dining room, picked up the thermal kettle, and poured two cups of warm water.

Carrying the water cups, he walked slowly towards the living room.

Zhu Yuntong placed one of the cups of water in front of Secretary Zhu Tianhe and sat down on the sofa opposite.

"Father, have some water." He picked up his own cup and took a sip.

Secretary Zhu Tianhe did not move.

He inhaled the last drag of the cigarette deeply into his lungs, then pressed the cigarette butt into the ashtray and crushed it hard.

"Today, Secretary Tian Limin called me in." Secretary Zhu Tianhe's voice was hoarse, as if polished by sandpaper.

Zhu Yuntong listened quietly, without interrupting.

"Mayor Su Changming was there too."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe looked up, his eyes bloodshot, like a trapped beast.

"The two of them, right in front of me, divided the positions of Executive Vice Mayor and Director of the Development and Reform Commission."

"Secretary Tian Limin took the Executive Vice Mayor position, and Mayor Su Changming took the Development and Reform Commission." Zhu Yuntong replied.

Secretary Zhu Tianhe looked at his son and nodded with difficulty.

"Director Liu Yuejin will take over the Development and Reform Commission." He leaned back against the sofa, as if all his strength had been drained. "I objected. Secretary Tian Limin directly brought up the matters of Political Commissar Wang Haitao and Section Chief Ma Jiancheng, saying that I was 'promoting with baggage' and 'failing to identify flaws in personnel.'"

Secretary Zhu Tianhe let out a self-deprecating laugh, the sound of which was uglier than crying.

"The two of them sang in harmony. Secretary Tian Limin even used the old leader to pressure me, painting a big picture, saying that in the future, Linjiang City would rely on me."

"Zhu Wenhao, I cannot fight them."

"In that kind of situation, I couldn't find any flaws."

"I... lost."

Zhu Yuntong looked at his father's completely dejected state and put down the water cup in his hand.

A real storm was about to begin.