63: Chapter 63 My son's scheme, I'll personally overturn the table!

Organization Minister Zhao Donglai stared fixedly at the torn exam paper and the high-definition photos spread out beside it.

As a seasoned veteran of the political arena, his instincts sounded an alarm at this moment.

There were only two keys to the secure cabinet.

One was in his hands, and the other was in the hands of Executive Deputy Minister Zhou Mingyuan.

Now, the top-secret exam papers for tomorrow's test had appeared openly in the office of the Municipal Party Committee's Deputy Secretary!

If the Provincial Party Committee were to investigate, a charge of "dereliction of duty and leaking secrets" would be inevitable.

Seeking advantages and avoiding harm was an instinct in official circles.

He turned his head abruptly.

His gaze pierced Executive Deputy Minister Zhou Mingyuan like a sharp sword.

"Comrade Mingyuan, what is going on here!"

"Weren't the exam papers for tomorrow's selection locked in the confidential room? How did they appear here!"

Striking first to kick the ball of responsibility to his deputy was the fastest means of self-preservation!

"Minister, Secretary Zhu just called to say he wanted to compare the exam questions, so I brought them over. As a result... the exam questions in the photos are exactly the same as the original papers in our secure cabinet!"

"I really didn't do this! I have never let the key leave my person, and I have no idea how these things were leaked!"

Secretary Li Li of the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection ignored the buck-passing between the two.

She stepped forward, picked up the photos on the table, and compared them line by line, word for word, with the freshly unsealed original exam papers nearby.

After a long while, Secretary Li Li straightened her back. "The layout, question types, and even the punctuation marks are identical."

She looked at Organization Minister Zhao Donglai. "This set of exam papers was transported here by a special vehicle yesterday afternoon. When they were put into storage, our Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection sent someone specifically to participate in the handover and apply the seals."

"At that time, there were absolutely no mishaps."

After saying this, Secretary Li Li turned her gaze to Secretary Zhu Tianhe and said,

"Secretary Zhu, what exactly is going on? Where did these photos and this camera come from?"

"I believe everyone has many doubts in their hearts right now."

"This morning, I received an urgent report from Police Chief Li Jianguo of the Municipal Public Security Bureau. The Criminal Investigation Detachment solved a burglary case that occurred at the Youth Cadre Apartment."

"When the investigating officers were making arrests and taking inventory of the missing items at the scene, they found this in the room of Comrade Liu Xiaolei from the Municipal Party Committee Office."

"Police Chief Zhao Gang, you are the first discoverer and commander of this case. Come and introduce the case details to the two Standing Committee members."

Hearing this, Police Chief Zhao Gang took a step forward. He understood that this was a rare highlight moment in his police career.

As a deputy captain of the Criminal Investigation Detachment, he usually didn't even have the qualifications to enter the Standing Committee building to report on his work.

This battle today was fought beautifully; that "deputy" title could be removed immediately!

The rungs of life's ladder were few; if you grabbed hold, the world would open up before you!

"Leaders. The suspect's name is Liu Liu. He had been scouting the area around the Youth Cadre Apartment for the past few days. Our branch received reports from the public saying that someone with suspicious behavior was lurking in the vicinity."

"We deployed police forces to lie in wait secretly. This morning, the suspect disguised himself as a courier, snuck into the apartment, and pried open the door to Room 302. We broke in while he was rummaging through the boxes and cabinets and caught him on the spot."

Police Chief Zhao Gang pointed to the photos on the table.

"When securing evidence at the scene, we found this opened file bag on the coffee table. Because it involved top-secret documents, we turned on our law enforcement recorders throughout the entire process, filming continuously without missing any blind spots. The confessions and recordings are all here and can withstand any procedural scrutiny."

"Additionally."

Police Chief Zhao Gang pulled a few more photos from his briefcase and spread them out on the coffee table.

"The suspect Liu Liu confessed that while he was scouting the location, he also took some photos to figure out the homeowner's daily routine. We checked his personal camera and found these images to be quite interesting."

These photos were exactly what Zhu Wenhao had instructed—borrowing Liu Liu's camera to turn the images secretly filmed by Old Chen into an "unexpected gain for the thief" in broad daylight.

Everything was pinned on Liu Liu; it was flawless.

Secretary Li Li and Organization Minister Zhao Donglai immediately leaned in.

Executive Deputy Minister Zhou Mingyuan also moved two steps closer.

In the photos, at a dimly lit street corner, Liu Xiaolei was receiving that conspicuous yellow kraft paper bag from a young man wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

Both of them looked hurried, and the handover was extremely fast.

Secretary Li Li frowned. She was in charge of disciplinary inspection work and knew the city's cadres like the back of her hand, but she was very unfamiliar with the man delivering the exam papers in the photo.

"Who is this man? He is not from our city."

Organization Minister Zhao Donglai's heart skipped a beat after just one glance.

He had attended meetings at the Provincial Party Committee Compound countless times; how could he not recognize this person!

This was Deputy Director Zhang Ming, the personal liaison for Executive Deputy Minister Liao Changxing of the Provincial Organization Department!

But Organization Minister Zhao Donglai gritted his teeth and remained silent.

This matter involved the second-in-command of the Provincial Organization Department, the person directly responsible for this general examination!

As a municipal-level minister, if he jumped out to identify him now, it would be equivalent to putting himself on the fire to roast; one slight mistake and he would be shattered to pieces.

Executive Deputy Minister Zhou Mingyuan did not have this reservation.

Organization Minister Zhao Donglai had already moved to kill just now; if he didn't seize this opportunity to present this "letter of allegiance" at this moment, there would really be no place for him in the Organization Department in the future!

"Isn't this Deputy Director Zhang Ming, the liaison for Minister Liao of the Provincial Organization Department?!"

Executive Deputy Minister Zhou Mingyuan pointed at the photo and directly exposed the identity.

Secretary Li Li turned her head sharply to look at him, her tone stern: "Comrade Zhou Mingyuan, are you sure? You cannot afford to misidentify this!"

"Absolutely not!"

Executive Deputy Minister Zhou Mingyuan said firmly.

"I went to the Provincial Organization Department to coordinate cadre assessment materials last month, and he was the one who received me!"

All the clues completed a fatal closed loop at this moment.

The liaison for the Executive Deputy Minister of the Provincial Organization Department met privately with a staff member of the Municipal Party Committee Office, and the file bag handed over contained the top-secret exam papers for the provincial general examination that wouldn't start until tomorrow.

This was a collaborative cheating case of extremely vile nature!

It was even a serious breach of discipline where high-level power interfered with grassroots selection!

Secretary Zhu Tianhe seeing that the time was ripe, stopped watching from the sidelines.

He pressed both hands on the edge of the table, leaned his body forward, and fully released the pressure of the Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee.

"Comrades, the situation is very clear."

"Given the seriousness of the case and the evidence showing that it is very likely to involve high-level officials within the Provincial Organization Department, or certain links within our Municipal Organization Department."

He looked at Secretary Li Li.

"Secretary Li. Before the meeting just now, I already instructed Police Chief Li Jianguo to report this lead directly to Director Qi Shan of the Provincial Public Security Department, and have the Provincial Public Security Department transfer the materials directly to the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection."

Secretary Li Li nodded in agreement; there were no flaws in the procedure.

"Secretary Li, in the name of the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection, report the situation to the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection. At the same time, mobilize capable forces and be ready to enter the Municipal Organization Department at any time. For the circulation of the exam papers in Linjiang, we must seal them and conduct a retroactive investigation!"

Secretary Li Li replied: "Understood, I will go make arrangements now."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe turned his head, his gaze staring sharply at Organization Minister Zhao Donglai.

"Minister Zhao. The leakage of the exam papers is an established fact. Tomorrow's exam must not stop. This is the first exam in Jiangnan Province; it cannot have problems, and it is a task! You must immediately activate the backup exam papers to ensure the normal operation of tomorrow's exam venue!"

"Additionally, since it involves the liaison of the Provincial Organization Department, do not report this matter to Minister Liao. You will personally call Minister Xiao Dingyu, the head of the Provincial Organization Department, and report everything that happened here truthfully!"

Organization Minister Zhao Donglai broke into a sweat and nodded repeatedly.

Just at this moment, Police Chief Li Jianguo pushed the door and walked in from the outer room, holding his phone.

"Secretary Zhu. There is a reply from Director Qi."

"Director Qi has already seen the preliminary evidence sent over. He instructed the Municipal Public Security Bureau: The evidence is conclusive, and the nature is vile. He orders us to act immediately, first to control the suspect Liu Xiaolei, detain her secretly, search the scene, fix the confessions and evidence, and prevent collusion and destruction of physical evidence!"

Secretary Zhu Tianhe felt a shock in his heart.

His father-in-law, Elder Li, made a move in the provincial capital; it was indeed ruthless and merciless.

To kill a snake, you must hit it in its seven-inch mark!

Division Chief Liu Haiping had deep roots in the province, and it was not easy to move him. But Liu Xiaolei was a young lady who had never experienced storms; as long as they took her down first and kept her in the interrogation room for a few hours, with her psychological defenses, she wouldn't be able to hide any trump cards.

Once they had Liu Xiaolei's confession, Elder Li would have enough chips in the provincial capital to overturn the table of Division Chief Liu Haiping and Executive Deputy Minister Liao Changxing!

Strike first to be invincible!

"Good."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe made a prompt decision.

"Jianguo, since the Provincial Public Security Department has clear instructions, you lead the team to do it yourself immediately. Remember, pay attention to the impact when arresting people; do not make a big scene, but they must be detained!"

"Yes!" Police Chief Li Jianguo received the order and strode away.

Secretary Zhu Tianhe looked at Secretary Gao Ming, who had been guarding the door.

"Secretary Gao Ming, organize the conversation, the establishment of the tone, and the deployment of relevant tasks from the past half hour into a brief meeting record."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe pointed to the few people present.

"Have Secretary Li, Minister Zhao, and Executive Deputy Minister Zhou all sign it. Everyone is a joint witness and a joint decision-maker."

This was tying everyone to the same boat!

With this signed meeting record, no matter how big the storm became in the future, if the Provincial Party Committee blamed them, it would be a collective decision of the leaders of the Linjiang Municipal Party Committee, and no one would be able to escape!

Organization Minister Zhao Donglai and Secretary Li Li looked at each other; without hesitation, they picked up their pens and signed their names on the meeting record.

The trend was gone; wanting to protect oneself at this time would be immature.

After collecting the meeting record, Secretary Zhu Tianhe stood up.

"Let's go, you two."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe looked at Secretary Li Li and Organization Minister Zhao Donglai.

"Such a big bomb exploded in our Municipal Committee compound; we must go together to report the work properly to the head of the Municipal Committee, Secretary Tian."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe walked out of the office door first, letting out a long breath.

The draft from the corridor blew past, and he felt completely clear-headed and light-footed.

He remembered last night, his son Zhu Wenhao was at home, teaching him like peeling silk how to control the rhythm of the meeting, how to grasp people's hearts, and how to use the rules to force opponents.

Today's response strategy landed perfectly without a single mistake.

Secretary Tian Limin, don't you want to be a peacemaker and share the cake with Mayor Su Changming?

Today, I will take this bomb and place it squarely on your desk.

Let's see how you, the Municipal Party Committee Secretary, will clean up this mess!