67: Chapter 67 Zhu Wenhao's Advice, Xiao Dingyu's Surprise

The Jiangnan Provincial Party Committee Organization Department Building.

Although Executive Deputy Minister Liao Changxing was suspended pending investigation, the work of the Organization Department did not grind to a halt. Even without one of its gears, this massive and precise machine continued to rumble forward on sheer momentum.

Minister Xiao Dingyu sat behind his desk, the tea by his hand having long lost its warmth.

Holding a pen, he was reviewing a document word by word.

With Executive Deputy Minister Liao Changxing suspended, the daily work of the Organization Department fell onto his shoulders, and he needed to steady the ranks.

The telephone on the desk rang abruptly.

It was the number of the Deputy Secretary of the Linjiang Municipal Party Committee.

"Tianhe, are things going smoothly over in Linjiang?"

Minister Xiao Dingyu cut straight to the chase, without the slightest pleasantries.

"Old Leader, everything is stable. Just now, Team Leader Qiu led his team to pack up and return to the provincial capital overnight. The inspection work in Linjiang has been suspended."

Minister Xiao Dingyu leaned back in his high-backed chair, his fingers tapping silently on the desk.

The Inspection Team packing up midway was an extremely clear signal within the discipline inspection system.

Executive Deputy Secretary Guo Changchun would never fight an unprepared battle.

Team Leader Qiu Rui's return to the province at this time indicated that the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection was planning a major move, using Liu Xiaolei's case as leverage.

The true center of the storm had already shifted from Linjiang to the Provincial Party Committee Compound.

"Old Leader," Secretary Zhu Tianhe's voice came through again. "That child Zhu Wenhao has analyzed the entire situation and offered some thoughts. I think they make some sense, so I wanted to ask you to take a look and guide us."

Allowing a young man in his early twenties to act as a strategist for a game at the Provincial Party Committee level?

Minister Xiao Dingyu's interest was piqued.

"Go on."

"Zhu Wenhao suggests," Secretary Zhu Tianhe said, emphasizing each word, "that you personally step forward and draft a separate personnel proposal regarding the adjustment of the Linjiang Municipal Party Committee Secretary, and report it directly to Provincial Party Committee Secretary Lao Liguo."

To replace a prefecture-level city's Municipal Party Committee Secretary!

This was not just a major personnel adjustment, but a high-stakes gamble where a single move could affect the entire situation!

"Very interesting," Minister Xiao Dingyu said, his tone betraying neither pleasure nor anger. "What is his reasoning?"

"He said that we must not underestimate Elder Liu's deep roots. Liu Family has cultivated their influence in Jiangnan for many years, with disciples and old associates everywhere. No one can guarantee whether he still has hidden connections in The Capital."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe recounted Zhu Wenhao's deduction in its entirety.

"If Elder Liu casts aside all pride to plead for mercy, and the higher-ups drop a hint out of old sentiment, then no matter how solid the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection's hard evidence is, the matter might end up being handled leniently—raised high but dropped gently. Division Chief Liu Haiping would probably just be transferred away from positions of real power to weather the storm, and he could still make a comeback later."

Minister Xiao Dingyu remained silent.

He had seen this kind of protective maneuvering in the system far too many times.

"To win in one fell swoop and uproot the foundation of Liu Family," Secretary Zhu Tianhe delivered the killer blow, "we must find a way to get Provincial Party Committee Secretary Lao to personally enter the fray!"

"Continue," Minister Xiao Dingyu said, adjusting his posture.

"Zhu Wenhao analyzed that Secretary Lao has been parachuted into Jiangnan for over a year, yet he has been unable to make a breakthrough."

"This time, with Old Master Li and Elder Liu fighting, the waters have been completely muddied, which is exactly the breakthrough opportunity Secretary Lao has been dreaming of!"

"By bypassing Deputy Secretary Yang at this juncture and submitting a separate proposal to Secretary Lao to adjust the Linjiang Municipal Party Committee Secretary, you would be declaring your stance to Secretary Lao, giving him a perfectly legitimate reason to intervene in local affairs!"

"Secretary Tian Limin is one of Liu Family's men. Taking him down and replacing him with Secretary Lao's own person would be a silent but powerful statement!"

"With this reassurance, Secretary Lao can leverage the momentum from rectifying the exam room cheating scandal to forcefully push through a local purge, installing his own trusted confidants!"

"And..."

Secretary Zhu Tianhe made his final summary, "This list is the signal. Secretary Lao can use this to establish his authority, and you can also ride the coattails of the top leader to break free from the passive situation of being suppressed by Deputy Secretary Yang. It kills three birds with one stone!"

At this point, the call fell into a long, dead silence.

This strategy of using an opponent's strength against them and driving tigers to swallow wolves calculated down to the last detail the dilemma of the Provincial Party Committee Secretary, the checks and balances with Deputy Secretary Yang, and the remaining influence of the retired elders.

Using the seat of a Municipal Party Committee Secretary to exchange for a thunderous strike from the Provincial Party Committee's top leader!

"Old Leader?" Secretary Zhu Tianhe asked tentatively. "Did that kid say something wrong?"

Minister Xiao Dingyu let out a long, slow breath.

"This kid..." Minister Xiao Dingyu's tone was filled with irrepressible admiration and amazement. "If he can pass the exam into the Young Cadre Training Class and come to the provincial capital for training, I will definitely mentor him personally!"

To have the top leader of the Provincial Organization Department say the words 'mentor him personally' was a promise worth more than gold in Jiangnan Province!

At the end, Minister Xiao Dingyu joked.

"It's a pity I didn't have a daughter. However, that fellow Deputy Director Liu Qiang from the Provincial Development and Reform Commission has an eldest daughter at home of a similar age."

"Alright, hanging up now. I need to think this over first."

Putting down the receiver, Minister Xiao Dingyu picked up his fountain pen and solemnly wrote the three characters 'Secretary Tian Limin' on a blank sheet of letter paper.

Then, he drew a heavy red 'X' over the name.

The night was deep.

Donghuwan Apartment.

The indoor underfloor heating dispelled the chill of late autumn. In the study, only an eye-friendly desk lamp was lit. Zhu Wenhao leaned over the desk, flipping through a compilation of policies and analyses of exam questions from previous years.

Tomorrow was the selection exam for the Young Cadre Training Class.

Faint footsteps came from behind him.

Su Qinghan walked in carrying a plate of sliced fruit and placed it on the corner of the desk.

She had changed out of her rigid professional attire and wore a loose, plain-colored cashmere sweater. Her long hair was casually tied back, with a few stray strands hanging beside her fair neck.

"Is everything going smoothly?"

"The net has been closed on Liu Family's matter, and I feel confident about tomorrow's exam as well." Zhu Wenhao closed the book and looked up.

After fighting side by side during this short period, a tacit understanding that transcended ordinary men and women had been established between them.

"Actually, I have a question I've been wanting to ask you," Zhu Wenhao said.

Su Qinghan pulled out the chair next to him and sat down. "Go ahead."

"For this selection for the Young Cadre Training Class, the Treasury Division of the Municipal Finance Bureau where you work is fully qualified to register." Zhu Wenhao looked at her. "Why didn't you sign up?"

With Su Qinghan's credentials from Renmin University, as long as she spoke up, the Municipal Finance Bureau would never block her.

Su Qinghan took a grape and held it out to him.

"The bureau office sent the registration form to my email two days ago." She withdrew her hand, her tone completely level. "I turned it down."

"Why?"

Su Qinghan met his gaze, a hint of warmth appearing in her cold eyes.

"Because there is only one special admission slot for Linjiang City."

"I didn't want to compete with you in the exam room."

She leaned back in her chair, stating an extremely simple truth.

On the path of climbing the ladder of power, resources are always scarce.

If the two of them competed on the same stage, it would not only divide their energy but also make it easier for outsiders to find opportunities to drive a wedge between them.

She chose to step back voluntarily, relinquishing this fast track to him.

She did not speak of how much she had given up in making this decision, nor did she use this concession to bargain for any promises.

"What is yours is mine."

With just a few words, the two of them were completely bound together.

They would rise and fall together.

Zhu Wenhao did not speak.

He reached out and held her hand resting on her knee.

His palm was warm.

He could feel the slight coolness of her fingertips, as well as that unspoken, unreserved trust.

The two looked at each other and smiled.