36: Chapter 36 Zhu Tianhe, have you admitted defeat?

"Secretary Zhu Tianhe, have you admitted defeat?"

Upon hearing this, Li Juan was about to speak, but her movements suddenly froze.

She furrowed her delicate brows.

In the marrow of great families and high-ranking official households, children not criticizing their fathers is an ironclad rule carved into the family code.

A dignified Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee being addressed by his full name by his son in his early twenties—what kind of conduct was this?

Just as Li Juan darkened her face, preparing to use her elder's authority to rebuke him, Zhu Yuntong didn't give her a chance to interject at all.

"Secretary Zhu Tianhe, where is the fighting spirit you had a couple of days ago?"

"Where is that high-spirited energy you had when you called me, talking about cutting the cake in the city?"

"What, they say a few words, and you've already collapsed, ready to raise the white flag?"

"Coward."

The last two words were an extremely jarring assessment.

Li Juan could no longer listen to this.

"Zhu Wenhao, how are you speaking to your father!"

Before her words had even faded, Secretary Zhu Tianhe slowly stood up.

He waved his hand at Li Juan, stopping her.

"Juanzi, don't blame him."

"Zhu Wenhao is right."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe let out a long sigh, his figure appearing somewhat stooped under the light.

"I am indeed a coward."

"Back then in that office, facing their joint pincer attack, I was already stunned, completely unable to fight back."

"Zhu Wenhao, you didn't just come here to scold me to vent your anger, did you?"

"If you have any way to break this deadlock, tell your father the bottom line today."

Li Juan was incredibly sharp; she immediately realized that the father and son were about to discuss the real core strategy.

Without a word, she efficiently snatched the ashtray piled high with cigarette butts from in front of Secretary Zhu Tianhe, turned, and walked toward the kitchen, replacing it with a purple clay teapot.

"Alright, you two talk it over. I'm going to cut some fruit."

Having said that, she carried the ashtray and quietly withdrew from this battlefield belonging to men.

Zhu Yuntong watched Li Juan's retreating figure, his tone calm.

"Father, Mother has great wisdom."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe nodded wearily.

In a great family, this kind of silent tacit understanding is more effective than any words.

Zhu Yuntong withdrew his gaze and cut to the chase.

"Looking at the current situation, we aren't going to get the position of Director of the Development and Reform Commission."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe nodded again.

"Mayor Su Changming has just taken office; he will inevitably cling tightly to several core departments of the Municipal Government."

"Finance, Audit, Development and Reform Commission—these are his purse strings. Plus the Municipal Government Office, the chief steward; only by taking them all can he truly control the situation on the government side."

"Father, their calculations are shrewd, but there is one department they haven't accounted for."

"And it is an extremely important department."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe looked up.

"Which one?"

"The Municipal Public Security Bureau."

"I've looked through the roster of department-level positions in the city; Director Han of the Municipal Public Security Bureau is due to retire in two years."

"Right now, you can absolutely promote Police Chief Li Jianguo directly from his position as Deputy Director to the top spot."

Police Chief Li Jianguo is the current Deputy Director of the Linjiang Municipal Public Security Bureau.

He is Secretary Zhu Tianhe's childhood friend and one of the few members of his old guard that Secretary Zhu Tianhe absolutely trusts.

"I have also considered the matter regarding Old Li."

"However, he currently oversees peripheral operations like public security and logistics. To have him directly take over while skipping over Executive Deputy Director Liu Qing and Political Commissar Zhang Qiang would face too much internal resistance, and the Municipal Party Committee wouldn't pass it either."

"Before, it was difficult."

"Now, they are forcing you to do it."

"Secretary Tian Limin and Mayor Su Changming are being too greedy; they aren't leaving you a drop of soup and have smashed the rules to pieces!"

Zhu Yuntong looked at his father, his eyes sharp.

"Since they are being unreasonable, you can use the power granted to you by the rules to counter them."

"Tomorrow, sign a 'reserved opinion' note on that recommendation document from the Organization Department."

"When it reaches the Five-Person Group meeting, leave a clear 'reserved opinion' in the meeting minutes!"

That's right!

For candidates recommended by the Organization Department, although he, as the Deputy Secretary in charge of Party affairs and personnel, cannot directly veto them with a single vote, writing down a dissenting opinion is a power clearly stated in black and white in the regulations on cadre appointment!

No one can deprive him of that!

As the top leader, Secretary Tian Limin can indeed use the authority of the team leader to force the personnel decision through the Standing Committee.

However, the relevant meeting minutes must be submitted to the Provincial Organization Department for the record exactly as they are.

A set of meeting minutes containing the strong dissenting opinion of a full-time Deputy Secretary, placed on the desk of Minister Xiao Dingyu, his old leader.

That would be interesting!

Minister Xiao Dingyu had just instructed Secretary Tian Limin to maintain team unity, and yet, in the very next moment, Secretary Tian Limin is running a one-man show in Linjiang, pushing out his colleagues.

As long as the Provincial Organization Department adds a couple of critical comments, it would be enough to put Secretary Tian Limin in a tight spot.

Secretary Tian Limin would absolutely not dare to take such a huge risk.

He would definitely come to compromise with him!

"Use the concession on the Development and Reform Commission to exchange for a foothold in the Public Security Bureau."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe finally understood the crux of it.

"What a brilliant move of 'besieging Wei to rescue Zhao'!"

Zhu Yuntong continued: "Furthermore, we must also arrange for Political Commissar Wang Haitao properly."

"Political Commissar Wang Haitao?" Secretary Zhu Tianhe asked, puzzled. "He is currently completely marginalized at the Development and Reform Commission; where else can he go?"

"The position of Political Commissar at the Municipal Public Security Bureau."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe was stunned.

"Political Commissar Wang Haitao comes from a background in economic approval; going to the Public Security Bureau to be a Political Commissar? This professional background is completely mismatched!"

"Director Liu Yuejin, a guy who dealt with civil affairs, going to manage infrastructure approval at the Development and Reform Commission—is his professional background a match?"

Zhu Yuntong retorted.

"Absurd personnel transfers are themselves the product of power compromises."

"We not only need to clear a spot for Political Commissar Wang Haitao, but we must also prove to all the fence-sitters in Linjiang City who are holding a wait-and-see attitude—"

"That as long as they dare to defect to you, Secretary Zhu, even if they can't stay at the Development and Reform Commission, they can still thrive in a real-power department!"

Let his trusted aide, Police Chief Li Jianguo, be the top leader, and let the turncoat Political Commissar Wang Haitao be the Political Commissar.

From this point on, the blade of the Linjiang Municipal Public Security Bureau, which maintains social stability, will be firmly held in the hands of the Zhu family!

Secretary Zhu Tianhe slapped the sofa armrest heavily.

"Then that's what we'll do!"

The gloom that had been weighing on his chest all night was swept away.

The next day.

The Linjiang Municipal Party Committee office building.

Organization Minister Zhao Donglai sat in his spacious and bright office, flipping through the latest cadre assessment materials.

A rhythmic sound of footsteps came from outside the door, and the secretary walked in holding a red-headed document that had just completed the process.

"Minister, Secretary Zhu Tianhe has returned the recommendation list for the Director of the Development and Reform Commission that was submitted yesterday."

Organization Minister Zhao Donglai took the document and turned directly to the signing column on the last page.

In the place where it should have said "Proposed approval, report to the Five-Person Group for discussion," there were, strikingly, a few lines of vigorous and forceful handwriting in pen.

"Comrade Director Liu Yuejin has worked in the civil affairs system for a long time and lacks experience in macroeconomics and key project management. Facing the current complex situation at the Development and Reform Commission, this recommended candidate is open to question. I reserve my opinion. —Secretary Zhu Tianhe."

Organization Minister Zhao Donglai stared at the four characters "reserved opinion," feeling a chill run down his back.

These four characters carried too much weight.

This was equivalent to bringing the conflict directly into the open, completely flipping the table.

He dared not delay and immediately picked up the internal phone, dialing the number for the Municipal Party Committee's No. 1 office.

"Secretary Tian Limin, Secretary Zhu Tianhe has sent back the recommendation list with a 'reserved opinion' signed on it."

On the other end of the line, Secretary Tian Limin was silent for a full ten seconds.

"I see."

"Do not proceed with the next step for now; keep the document with you."

Secretary Tian Limin hung up the phone, looking at the cityscape of Linjiang outside the window, his brows furrowed tightly.

He had originally thought that yesterday's beating and the big pie he had drawn would be enough to make Secretary Zhu Tianhe, a Deputy Secretary with little experience in political struggle, obediently submit.

He hadn't expected Secretary Zhu Tianhe to turn around and execute such a ruthless overt plot.

Reserved opinion.

If this thing were written into the meeting minutes of the Five-Person Group and then reported to the Provincial Party Committee, where would his face as the Municipal Party Committee Secretary be?

Secretary Tian Limin picked up his cup and took a sip of water.

He knew very well that Secretary Zhu Tianhe was bargaining.

Since he was bargaining, there was something to talk about.

"Xiao Zhang."

Secretary Tian Limin pressed the summoning bell.

The secretary pushed the door open and entered.

"Go and see if Secretary Zhu Tianhe is in his office."

"If he is, invite him over for a cup of tea."