100: Chapter 100 Inviting Guests

The next afternoon, Xu Weidong was in his office reading case files when his phone rang.

"Is this Director Xu? I am Secretary Huang Hao from the Political and Legal Affairs Commission."

Xu Weidong paused for a moment. Secretary Huang Hao, the new Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, had just arrived last month, filling the vacancy left after Qiu Ping was promoted to Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee.

He had heard of this man; he had previously worked at the Lüjiang City Political and Legal Affairs Commission, and it was said his professional competence was quite good, though the two had never officially met.

"Hello, Secretary Huang Hao."

"Do you have any instructions?"

"Instructions is too strong a word."

Secretary Huang Hao smiled and said, "Director Xu, are you free this evening? I would like to treat you to a casual meal so we can get to know each other. We will be working together often, so it is good to get acquainted."

Xu Weidong pondered for a moment and said, "Secretary Huang Hao, you are too polite. I should be the one treating you."

"Ah, it is all the same whoever treats."

Secretary Huang Hao laughed, "Then it is settled. Six o'clock this evening, at Qinyuanchun. I will book a private room and wait for you."

After hanging up, Xu Weidong leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the desk.

The new Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission requesting dinner for the first time was certainly not as simple as just "getting to know each other."

The incident at the barbecue restaurant last night had spread so quickly that he must have heard about it. This meal was most likely related to those five people.

But what would he say?

Six o'clock in the evening, at Qinyuanchun.

The private room was small but elegant.

A landscape painting hung on the wall, an orchid was placed in the corner, and the scent of sandalwood was faintly perceptible.

Secretary Huang Hao was already waiting. Seeing Xu Weidong enter, he immediately stood up and walked over with a beaming smile. "Director Xu, I have heard so much about you. Please, take a seat."

Xu Weidong sized him up. Secretary Huang Hao looked to be about thirty-seven or thirty-eight, of medium build, wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He spoke gently and looked like a scholar.

However, his eyes revealed a sense of shrewdness, the kind of gleam found in someone who had been polished by years of working in government agencies.

"Secretary Huang Hao, you are too polite."

Xu Weidong sat down with a smile and said, "I should be the one visiting you."

"Between us, we need not stand on such formalities."

Secretary Huang Hao waved his hand and personally poured a cup of tea for Xu Weidong.

"Director Xu, what would you like to drink? Alcohol or tea?"

Just as Xu Weidong was about to speak, Secretary Huang Hao added with a smile, "I heard that Director Xu usually does not drink alcohol, so today let us substitute tea for wine and just chat to get to know one another."

Xu Weidong's eyes flickered slightly. This man had actually done his homework in advance.

Regarding this, Xu Weidong nodded and said, "Tea will do, thank you, Secretary Huang Hao."

Secretary Huang Hao poured tea for him, poured a cup for himself, and then raised his glass.

"Come, Director Xu, I offer a toast to you. I look forward to your support for the work of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission in the future."

"Secretary Huang Hao, you are too kind. You are the leader; I should be the one reporting to you more often."

Xu Weidong raised his teacup and gently tapped it against the other.

The two drank their tea and set down their cups, the atmosphere easing somewhat.

Secretary Huang Hao was not in a hurry to get to the main point, first chatting idly, asking Xu Weidong if he was accustomed to living in Changyuan County, if his work was going smoothly, and if there were any difficulties that required the Political and Legal Affairs Commission to coordinate and resolve.

Xu Weidong answered them one by one, his attitude polite but maintaining appropriate boundaries.

After chatting for ten minutes or so, Secretary Huang Hao changed the subject and sighed, "Director Xu, I heard about the incident last night."

"You acted bravely for a just cause at the barbecue restaurant, stopped the violence, and even saved a female comrade. That was a job well done, and the common people are all praising you."

Xu Weidong's expression remained unchanged as he said, "Secretary Huang Hao, you flatter me."

"I am the Director of the Public Security Bureau; when encountering such a thing, it is impossible for me to ignore it."

"Indeed, indeed."

Secretary Huang Hao nodded, then sighed again and said, "However, Director Xu, I invited you here today because I also wanted to tell you something."

"Among those five people, there is one named Chen Zhi. Do you know what his background is?"

Xu Weidong shook his head and said, "I have not had time to investigate thoroughly yet."

"What is it?"

Secretary Huang Hao was silent for two seconds, then lowered his voice and said, "He is the brother-in-law of Deputy Mayor Zhang Fusheng."

Xu Weidong's eyes narrowed slightly.

Deputy Mayor Zhang Fusheng, the Deputy Mayor of Lvjiang City in charge of political and legal affairs.

He had heard of this man; he was in his early fifties, had worked in the city for over a decade, had deep roots and extensive branches, and possessed many students and old acquaintances.

"This morning, Deputy Mayor Zhang Fusheng called me. His words were very polite, meaning to handle it according to the law and deal with it as it should be dealt with."

"However..."

Secretary Huang Hao paused and looked at Xu Weidong.

Xu Weidong did not interrupt, waiting for him to continue.

Secretary Huang Hao gave a wry smile and said, "Director Xu, we are all people within the system, so some things do not need to be spelled out too clearly."

"That call from Deputy Mayor Zhang Fusheng, on the surface, was asking me to handle it according to the law, but the implication was actually to see if we could mediate and drop the case?"

Xu Weidong picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and did not speak.

In fact, if the Director of the County Public Security Bureau had been an ordinary cadre, Secretary Huang Hao, as the Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, would have handled it himself, but Xu Weidong was different after all.

Secretary Huang Hao had come down from the Municipal Political and Legal Affairs Commission, and he had clearly heard about what Xu Weidong had done while at the Municipal Committee Office.

With Secretary Wan and Mayor Lin fighting over him to be their secretary, while he did not know how deep such a figure's background was, he definitely had an idea in his heart.

Xu Weidong set down his teacup, his expression still calm as he said, "Secretary Huang Hao, you invited me here today, what is it you want to tell me?"

Secretary Huang Hao looked at him earnestly and said, "Director Xu, do not misunderstand; I do not want to let that Chen Zhi off the hook."

"What he did, it makes me angry too."

"Bullying a young girl and beating her like that—if I were you, I would not be able to swallow this anger either."

"I invited you here today just to tell you who is behind him. With your intelligence, you should be able to understand my predicament."

Secretary Huang Hao paused and added, "At the same time, I also want to say that no matter how you handle it, the County Political and Legal Affairs Commission will give its full support."

"I have already notified the court and the procuratorate that for such criminals with such vile influence and heinous crimes, we must take the most stringent punitive measures."

"I do not care where they look for legal clauses, but the penalty must be the highest."

"Otherwise, where is the dignity of the law? And how can the grievances of the common people be redressed?!"

"The law does not care whose brother-in-law he is!"

Xu Weidong looked at him and suddenly smiled.

"Secretary Huang Hao, what you said is absolutely right."

"I am a person who only looks at facts, evidence, and the law when handling cases."

"Whose brother-in-law that Chen Zhi is has nothing to do with me."

"You must have heard about the situation at the scene: five men beating one young girl, beating her until her face was covered in blood, and then trying to drag her out the door."

"In that kind of situation, as long as one has seen it, their conscience would not allow them to ignore such a thing."

Xu Weidong paused and looked at Secretary Huang Hao, saying, "I believe that any leader with a conscience will stand on the side of justice."

Secretary Huang Hao paused for a moment, then smiled, smiling very sincerely.

"Director Xu is right."

"I believe that the leaders in the city will also definitely stand on the side of justice."

"Rest assured, the County Political and Legal Affairs Commission will fully support the work of the Public Security Bureau and coordinate with the court and the procuratorate to ensure that these criminals are all severely and heavily punished!"

Xu Weidong raised his teacup and said, "Thank you for your support, Secretary Huang Hao. I will substitute tea for wine and offer you a toast."

Secretary Huang Hao quickly raised his cup and said, "It is only right, only right."

The two drank their tea, the atmosphere becoming even more harmonious than before.

Setting down his cup, Secretary Huang Hao suddenly smiled and said, "Director Xu, I will presume a bit."

"I am thirty-eight this year, a cycle older than you. If you don't mind, Director Xu, you can call me Brother in private."

"In the future, in Changyuan County, let us look out for each other."

Xu Weidong looked at him, his mind turning rapidly.

Secretary Huang Hao's words were a gesture of goodwill and also an attempt to draw closer.

Although he was a director, he would inevitably have to deal with the Political and Legal Affairs Commission in his work.

More friends mean more paths; he understood this principle.

Moreover, this man, Secretary Huang Hao, did things with a sense of propriety.

Knowing he could not drink alcohol, he served tea the whole time.

He said what needed to be said clearly and stopped at the right point for what should not be said.

He showed goodwill without being sycophantic, and built relationships without being off-putting.

"Secretary Huang Hao, since you are so kind, I will respectfully obey. Brother."

Secretary Huang Hao's eyes lit up, and the smile on his face deepened.

"Brother! Come, come, another toast to you!"

The two drank another cup, and the atmosphere became much warmer.

Next, Secretary Huang Hao chatted about the situation in the county—who was whose person, who was at odds with whom, who could be associated with more, and who one needed to be cautious of.

Xu Weidong noted them all in his heart, occasionally asking a few questions, and Secretary Huang Hao answered everything without reservation.

The meal lasted over two hours, and by the time it ended, it was nearly nine o'clock.

Secretary Huang Hao saw Xu Weidong to the door, held his hand, and said earnestly, "Brother, if anything comes up, call me anytime. As for the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, rest assured, I keep my word."

"Thank you, Brother."

Xu Weidong nodded and said, "I will treat you another day."

"Good, good, good!"

Secretary Huang Hao smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Take it easy on the road."

Xu Weidong got into the car and took a look at Secretary Huang Hao through the car window.

He was still standing at the door, watching the car leave.

The car drove into the night, and Xu Weidong leaned back in his seat, reviewing the conversation from tonight in his mind.

This man, Secretary Huang Hao, was intelligent and had a sense of propriety; he knew how to deal with people.

His phone suddenly vibrated; it was a message from Mu Ruxue.

"Brother Weidong, I have asked about the girl's situation today. She is hospitalized at the County Hospital. Her injuries are not light, but there is no danger to her life. Her parents have rushed over from the countryside and are crying inconsolably in the hospital room."

Xu Weidong replied, "Okay, I understand."

Mu Ruxue sent another message: "I heard that the person who did the beating has some background?"

Xu Weidong smiled and replied, "Rest assured, no matter what his background is, he will be sentenced as he should be and locked up as he should be."

Mu Ruxue replied instantly: "I knew you would say that. Brother Weidong, you are the best!"

Behind it followed a string of heart emojis. Xu Weidong looked at the screen, the corners of his mouth lifting involuntarily.