185: Chapter 185 The Province's Meaning

Before Director Qi Heng's car had even entered The Government Compound of the Public Security Bureau, a call from the County Commission for Discipline Inspection chased after him.

The one answering the phone was Director Qi Heng's deputy. After listening for a few moments, his expression changed. He covered the mouthpiece, leaned into Director Qi Heng's ear, and whispered, "Director Qi, the comrades from the Discipline Inspection Commission say that the case of Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang involves issues of faith among party-member leading cadres, and they want to intervene directly."

"Once we arrive, hand him over to them."

Director Qi Heng said nothing, turning his head to glance at Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang in the back seat.

Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang's eyes were closed, leaning back against the seat; it was unclear whether he was asleep or lost in thought.

Director Qi Heng withdrew his gaze and did not speak further.

By the time the car turned into The Government Compound of the Public Security Bureau, the vehicles of the Discipline Inspection Commission were already waiting there.

Two black sedans, one behind the other; Director Qi Heng recognized the license plates.

He did not have anyone bring Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang out of the car, but instead got out first to negotiate a few words with the people from the Discipline Inspection Commission.

The other party's attitude was very clear: "We will take the person, and the statement will be taken over there."

Director Qi Heng returned to the car, opened the back door, and bent down to look at Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang, smiling, "Executive Vice Magistrate Liu, the comrades from the County Commission for Discipline Inspection have come to pick you up. You should go with them."

Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang opened his eyes and glanced at Director Qi Heng. He did not struggle, just nodded, and slowly got out of the car.

Su Bainian sat on the other side of the back seat, still trembling. Watching her husband's back, her lips quivered a few times.

Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang did not look back, following the people from the Discipline Inspection Commission into their car.

The interrogation room of the Discipline Inspection Commission was in an independent, gray building on the east side of Changyuan County. It had no sign, was not open to the public, and had dedicated personnel guarding the entrance.

When Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang was brought inside, the lights in the corridor were on—bright and harsh, making one's eyes swim.

He was placed in a small room with one table and two chairs. On the wall hung the eight characters: "Leniency for those who confess, severity for those who resist."

Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang sat in the chair, staring at the white wall opposite him, while scenes from the past few years played over and over in his mind.

The interrogation lasted for a long time. The people from the Discipline Inspection Commission did not beat around the bush with him; the questions were very direct.

For example: When did you start believing in Buddhism? Which temples have you visited? Which monks have you been in contact with? How much money have you donated? Have you spread it to colleagues in your unit? Why did you keep a Buddha statue in your office?

Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang answered them one by one, his voice hoarse, as if he were reciting a resume that had nothing to do with him.

He knew he could not escape...

After all, he ran to temples during every holiday, ate vegetarian food on the first and fifteenth of the lunar month, secretly kept a Buddha statue in his office, and would beam with joy whenever he discussed Buddhist teachings with others.

Many people in Changyuan County knew about these things; before, no one took it seriously, but now it was different.

Now, someone wanted to lift the lid...

"Comrades, there are some matters that cadres at your level cannot understand. I request to see Secretary Wei... As long as Secretary Wei comes, I will cooperate fully."

The people from the Discipline Inspection Commission exchanged glances. One of them went out, returned after more than ten minutes, and nodded.

After all, Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang was a deputy division-level cadre; in terms of rank, he should have been handled by the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission.

However, Secretary Lin Juncai had demanded a swift and prompt handling, so the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission had issued a document to the County Commission for Discipline Inspection, instructing them to make the arrest first.

It was already late at night when Secretary Wei Kuan arrived. He was wearing a dark overcoat, his hair somewhat disheveled by the wind, but he was in high spirits.

He sat down opposite Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang. Across the table, the two men exchanged a look and said nothing.

The people from the Discipline Inspection Commission withdrew, and suddenly only the two of them were left in the room.

Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang looked at him and suddenly smiled, a smile that carried an indescribable bitterness.

"Secretary Wei, I've fallen."

"I accept my defeat wholeheartedly."

"But before the end, I just want to ask you one thing: if you wanted to clear a position for young people, you could have discussed it with me. There was no need to escalate it to the point of ruining someone, was there?"

"I have worked in Changyuan County for so many years; if I have no merit, I have at least put in the hard work. Why did you have to be so ruthless?"

Secretary Wei Kuan did not speak. He took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out, and handed it over.

Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang was stunned for a moment, then reached out and took it. Secretary Wei Kuan then produced a lighter and helped him light it.

After all, since this person was about to exit the stage, helping him light a cigarette could be considered a small compensation.

Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang took a drag, and the smoke made him cough a few times.

He had quit smoking for several years because the Master had said that smoking was not conducive to spiritual cultivation.

"Comrade Liu Qiang."

Secretary Wei Kuan lit one for himself, took a drag, and slowly exhaled.

"If I said that I only found out about this after the fact, would you believe me?"

Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang's fingers, holding the cigarette, paused, and he looked up at him.

Secretary Wei Kuan flicked the ash and leaned back into the chair, his tone unhurried, "Your exposure was not because someone in the county wanted to target you... but because of the Province."

"The Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection wanted to use your case to carry out a major purge of officials across the province who were secretly involved in religious beliefs."

"It is not just you; there are others. There are plenty of people with higher ranks than you and more serious problems than you."

Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang's fingers began to tremble, and the cigarette ash fell onto the table; he did not wipe it away.

Secretary Wei Kuan looked at him, his voice lowering slightly, "Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang, think about it. You have worked in Changyuan County for ten years and believed in Buddhism for so many years. No one bothered you before; why are they suddenly bothering you now?"

"That is because someone at the provincial level wants to make a move."

"Someone is using this wind of yours to flip a big card table."

"You are merely the first chess piece to be overturned; there are more to come, you just don't know it."

Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang was silent for a long time. He took a drag of the cigarette, then another, until the cigarette burned down to the filter, scorching his fingers before he threw it away.

"Who is it?"

He did not say the name; he knew Secretary Wei Kuan would understand.

Secretary Wei Kuan did not nod or shake his head, simply picking up the water cup on the table and taking a sip.

"That person likes Buddhist culture and has liked it for many years. To curry favor with him, many people below have followed suit."

"Your case just happened to run into the line of fire of certain people."

"Someone at the provincial level wants to take down that person, using you as an opening, following the vine to find the melon, tracing it upwards until they reach that entire melon patch."

"You are not the first, and you will not be the last."

Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang closed his eyes, recalling why he had believed in Buddhism back then.

It was not because he had truly realized anything, but because at a provincial meeting, he had heard a certain leader casually remark that Buddhist culture was profound and vast.

After returning, he began to study it. The more he studied, the more obsessed he became; the more obsessed he became, the more devout he grew, until finally, he had gotten himself trapped.

He thought he was following the trend, gauging the intentions of his superiors, and paving the way for his own official career.

He never expected that this path, once paved to the end, would lead to the interrogation room of the Discipline Inspection Commission.

"Secretary Wei, I accept it."

Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang opened his eyes and looked at Secretary Wei Kuan. There was no resentment in his gaze, only a calmness that comes from seeing through everything.

"But I have a request."

"My son... that son of mine, he knows nothing. He is still young, and he is innocent."

"Regardless of whether he is my biological son or not, in my heart, he is my son."

"I hope this matter will not affect him."

Secretary Wei Kuan looked at him, was silent for a few seconds, and nodded.

"The issue of the child's upbringing is not within the scope of the Discipline Inspection Commission's responsibilities."

"You can handle it yourself."

"But there is one thing I must tell you: even if you are no longer in this position in the future, you must still bear the responsibilities you ought to bear."

"The child is not at fault; the adults are at fault, and the fault does not lie with the child."

Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang nodded and did not speak again.

Secretary Wei Kuan stood up, stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, straightened his collar, and turned to walk to the door.

"Executive Vice Magistrate Liu Qiang, you have worked in Changyuan County for ten years; you certainly have merit. But merit is merit, and errors are errors."

"How the Discipline Inspection Commission handles this is a matter for the organization. I cannot help you, nor do I want to help you."

"Take care of yourself."

"I will put in a word with the courts and the procuratorate, of course, the specifics will still depend on the intentions from above..."

Diplomatic pleasantries cost nothing; Secretary Wei Kuan had been a leader for many years and naturally knew how to say such things.