198: Chapter 198 Special Meeting

It was already past ten in the morning when Minister Ma Fuqiang returned to the Provincial Party Committee Compound.

He hung his coat on the rack and sat at his desk for a moment, letting the chaotic thoughts in his mind settle.

After a while, Minister Ma Fuqiang reached out, picked up the secure phone on his desk, and dialed a number.

"Old Qin, come over here for a moment."

Deputy Secretary Qin arrived quickly; he was over fifty with graying hair.

He had worked in the Discipline Inspection Commission for over thirty years, rising step by step from the grassroots level to where he was today. He had handled every kind of case and dealt with every type of person, making him the recognized anchor of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection.

He was one of the personnel specifically handed over to Minister Ma Fuqiang when the former Secretary of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection Li Gang was transferred.

Secretary of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection Li Gang had been transferred back to Hanzhong to serve as Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee.

Minister Ma Fuqiang skipped the pleasantries, pointed to the chair opposite him, and waited for him to sit down. He then spoke slowly and deliberately, his tone as calm as if he were delivering a work briefing.

"Old Qin, I am preparing to launch a special inspection in Lvjiang City. I want you to lead the team, draw personnel from various departments to form a task force, and head down there next week."

Deputy Secretary Qin's fingers twitched slightly; he had been a discipline inspection cadre for over thirty years.

He had experienced countless meetings, speeches, and task assignments, and his sensitivity to the political climate was sharper than a thermometer.

Special inspections were nothing unusual; they happened several times a year.

But from the timing, manner, and wording Minister Ma Fuqiang used when calling him in today, he smelled something different.

This was not a routine matter, nor was it a superficial check; it was clearly targeted.

"Secretary Ma, what is the key focus of this inspection?"

Minister Ma Fuqiang leaned back in his chair, took a sip from his teacup, and said, "Lvjiang City has seen good development momentum in recent years, but there are also many problems within the cadre ranks."

"There are frequent reports of disciplinary and legal violations in key areas like the Crackdown on Organized Crime, poverty alleviation, and environmental protection."

"After you go down there, focus on these areas. Do not just go through the motions or engage in formalism; I want tangible results."

Minister Ma Fuqiang paused. His tone remained unchanged, but Deputy Secretary Qin's years of experience told him that the next sentence would be the core of this conversation.

"By the way, there is a Deputy County Magistrate in Changyuan County named Deputy County Magistrate Liu Changde. There have been some reports from below, so please look into him as well."

"He is a deputy division-level cadre. Although his rank is not high, the nature of the issues might not be simple."

Deputy Secretary Qin's expression did not change, but he understood perfectly.

The Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection usually targets provincial-level cadres; a small fry at the deputy division level would typically never warrant direct inquiry from the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Minister Ma Fuqiang was a new official taking office, and his first move was not against provincial-level cadres but directed lower down, yet he had slapped on the grand label of a "special inspection." The motive was obvious.

He nodded and solemnly accepted the assignment, his tone sounding as if he were receiving a sacred mission.

"Rest assured, Secretary Ma, I will lead the team down there myself. I have conducted special inspections in Lvjiang City several times; I am familiar with the situation and experienced in arranging personnel."

"As for the comrade named Deputy County Magistrate Liu Changde, I will arrange a separate group within the inspection team. We will not alert the municipal or county levels, and we will first get a clear picture of the situation before taking action."

Minister Ma Fuqiang looked at him, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

Talking to a smart person doesn't require chewing every word and feeding it to them; a hint is enough.

He picked up his teacup, and Deputy Secretary Qin, knowing his cue, stood up, opened the door, and walked out.

By the time the news reached Lvjiang City, it was already the evening of the next day.

The news that the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection was coming down for a special inspection spread faster than the flu, reaching every corner of the Municipal Party Committee Compound overnight.

The government cadres looked at each other, wondering whose head this fire would burn.

Some dug out documents they had handled to check them repeatedly, fearing that a signature on some page might become a ticking time bomb.

Some called old classmates and colleagues, beating around the bush to inquire about the recent political climate in the province.

Some met in the corridors and whispered to exchange information, saying that Secretary Ma came from the political and legal system and was even more ruthless in investigating cases than Secretary of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection Li Gang, so this visit probably wouldn't be just for show.

Secretary Lin Juncai heard the news in his office. His hand, which was signing documents, paused for a moment before he continued to finish writing the last few words.

He closed the document, set it aside, took a sip from his teacup, leaned back in his chair, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

He had experienced many such inspections by the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection; this wasn't the first time in his years in office.

He had confidence, not because he was particularly incorruptible, but because he understood one principle: whose bench you sit on determines whose rice bowl you hold.

During Xu Weidong's years in Changyuan County, when had he, the former mayor and current Secretary Lin Juncai, ever held him back?

If he wanted policies, he gave him policies; if he wanted funds, he gave him funds; if he wanted people, he gave him people; if he wanted positions, he gave him positions.

When Minister Ma Fuqiang came to inspect, he had affirmed the work of Lvjiang City in front of everyone, saying that Secretary Lin Juncai was politically firm, had a strong sense of the big picture, and was adept at handling complex contradictions.

How could a Municipal Party Committee Secretary who had been praised in person by a member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee be listed as a key target for a special inspection by the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection?

He calmly finished signing the remaining documents, called his secretary in to take them away, and instructed the Reception Office to arrange food and lodging for the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection inspection team, telling them not to make special exceptions but also not to neglect the guests.

In the darkening sky outside the window, the city lights began to twinkle. The city was peaceful, almost languid, showing absolutely no signs of the gathering storm.

The reaction in Changyuan County was even calmer than in the city.

The Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection targets provincial-level cadres; as a division-level unit, the cadres in Changyuan County were not even on the list of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Instead of worrying about the affairs of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, they might as well think about how to implement this year's "Number One Document."

In the county, meetings were held, trips to the countryside were made, and documents were signed as scheduled; everything was as usual.

The only thing abnormal was Deputy County Magistrate Liu Changde.

He went to the Federation of Literary and Art Circles again; this was the third time in a month.

The reason given was high-sounding: to investigate the work of the Federation of Literary and Art Circles and understand the development of the county's cultural undertakings.

Mu Ruxue sat opposite him and placed a cup of tea in front of him, her movements polite yet distant.

Today, she was wearing a thin, high-collared sweater. The collar was wrapped tightly up to her chin, and the sleeves were long enough to reach her wrists, revealing only a section of her fair fingers; not even her wrists were exposed.

Below, she wore black trousers with straight legs that covered even her ankles.

She was bundled up like a zongzi, and every inch of skin that could be gazed upon was hidden inside the fabric.

Deputy County Magistrate Liu Changde swept his gaze over her, but saw nothing.

He was unwilling to give up. Taking advantage of the moment she stood up to get some documents, he swept his gaze over her again. The high-collared sweater combined with the loose trousers meant that even her slender waistline was covered up and almost impossible to find.

His throat bobbed, and he picked up his teacup and gulped down a mouthful.

"Damn it!"

When he left, he reached out his hand again. Mu Ruxue switched the folder to her right hand and quickly touched his hand with her left, pulling it back before he could react.

Deputy County Magistrate Liu Changde stood at the entrance of the Federation of Literary and Art Circles, watching her back, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.