207: Chapter 207 You Chuan's Warning

When the phone rang, Deputy Secretary You Chuan was in his study reading documents.

He glanced at the caller ID and frowned slightly.

Zheng Ze, the youngest son of Zheng Dongguo.

Calling at this hour, he probably didn't have anything serious to discuss.

His relationship with Zheng Dongguo was established when the old man was the Municipal Party Committee secretary. The old man had shown him great favor, and every step he had taken over the years had been with the old man's guidance.

Deputy Secretary You Chuan was grateful to the old man, but that did not mean he had to be grateful to the old man's scoundrel of a son.

He had heard about all the messy business Zheng Ze had been involved in during his years in Lüjiang City, and he had also heard that the old man had been hospitalized several times because of this rebellious son.

Deputy Secretary You Chuan had no fondness for this person, but he could not completely ignore the call.

He still had to show some respect for the old man.

"Hello, Uncle You, it's me, Xiao Ze."

The voice on the other end carried a deliberately lowered tone of respect, mixed with a hint of drunkenness.

Deputy Secretary You Chuan leaned back in his chair, his tone indifferent.

"Xiao Ze, what is it?"

"Uncle You, how have you been lately? I've wanted to visit you ever since I got back, but I can't leave the old man's side."

"You know as well as I do that the old man doesn't have much time left, so I have to stay with him."

Deputy Secretary You Chuan gave a grunt of acknowledgment but did not respond.

Zheng Ze gave a dry cough, his voice tinged with ingratiation, and finally brought up the real matter.

"Uncle You, I have a small matter I'd like to trouble you with. I have a friend who opened a fireworks factory in Changyuan County called Cuican Fireworks, and it's one of the county's major taxpayers."

"Recently, for some reason, the County Work Safety Administration has been insisting on strictly inspecting them, making it impossible for them to continue normal production."

"Uncle You, could you say a word to Secretary Wei of Changyuan County and ask them to go easy on them? Don't make things difficult for legitimate businesses."

"I actually have a small stake in this factory, so..."

Deputy Secretary You Chuan's face darkened. He had waited for a long time, thinking Zheng Ze had something important to say, but he hadn't expected it to be such a trivial matter.

A fireworks factory in a county, undergoing a routine inspection by the Safety Supervision Bureau—how could this possibly reach him, the mayor?

What did they take him for?

His tone turned cold, carrying the displeasure and admonition typical of a veteran official.

"Xiao Ze, didn't your father ever teach you? The government has its procedures, and businesses have their rules."

"The County Work Safety Administration inspecting safety production is their duty; it is about being responsible for the safety of the people's lives and property."

"You want me to go to Secretary Wei Kuan and tell the Safety Supervision Bureau to stop the inspection? What kind of logic is that?"

"If a safety accident happens, will you take responsibility, or will I?"

Zheng Ze quickly explained on the other end, his tone somewhat panicked: "Uncle You, that's not what I meant. The safety management at Cuican Fireworks has always been very good; there has never been an accident."

"I'm just afraid they'll expand the scope of the inspection and affect the company's normal operations..."

Deputy Secretary You Chuan interrupted him. His voice wasn't loud, but every word carried the weight of criticism.

"Xiao Ze, you've been abroad for two years, so you might not understand the situation in the country."

"Right now, from the top down, everyone is focusing on safety production, especially in high-risk industries."

"You can't just expect the government to give you the green light because you have a few shares."

"This is a matter of principle; it's not something that can be solved just by someone putting in a good word."

"As long as the safety production inspection in Changyuan County is conducted in accordance with the law and regulations, there is no problem."

"Take my advice: tell your friend to cooperate with the inspection. If they need to rectify issues, let them rectify; if they need to suspend production, let them suspend."

"Don't think about taking crooked paths, and definitely don't go around causing trouble in your father's name."

"Your father is bedridden and seriously ill. If you are truly filial, don't add to his burdens. The thing he fears most in this life is you bringing shame upon him."

Zheng Ze was left speechless. He had been running rampant in Lüjiang City for so many years; who hadn't given him some face out of respect for the old man?

As for this person, Deputy Secretary You Chuan, if the old man hadn't promoted him back then, would he be where he is today?

The old man wasn't even dead yet, and he already dared to speak to him like this. If the old man really breathed his last, what would happen then?

A surge of anger churned in his heart, but he didn't dare vent it.

Deputy Secretary You Chuan was the mayor, a department-level official. What was he compared to him?

A scoundrel of a son who had been kicked out of the house by the old man!

He gritted his teeth and suppressed his anger.

"Uncle You, I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have called you, and I especially shouldn't have mentioned the old man."

"Don't worry, it won't happen again. Sorry to disturb you; please get some rest."

Deputy Secretary You Chuan didn't say anything more: "Hmm, alright. You get some rest too, and take good care of your father."

After hanging up, Zheng Ze gripped his phone, sitting on the sofa with a livid expression.

Two Japanese women nearby, still wearing kimonos, were kneeling on the floor waiting to serve him. Seeing his expression, they didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

He stood up abruptly and kicked over the coffee table, sending the wine bottles and glasses on it crashing and shattering all over the floor.

The two women screamed in fear, huddled in the corner of the sofa, and chattered to each other in Japanese in low voices.

He didn't even glance at them, strode into the bedroom, and slammed the door with a thunderous bang.

Deputy Secretary You Chuan put down his phone, leaned back in his chair, and picked up the document on the table again, but he couldn't take in a single word.

He sighed and picked up his teacup to take a sip.

This phone call from Zheng Ze had shattered his last shred of hope for him.

The old man hadn't even passed away yet, and this rebellious son had already started using his name to swindle people.

When the old man was truly gone, who knew what he would do?

He turned around and walked back to the desk, picked up the phone, and scrolled to the number of Secretary Wei Kuan, the secretary of the Changyuan County Party Committee. His finger paused on the screen; he hesitated for a moment, then put the phone down again.

He didn't need to give face to Zheng Ze, but he couldn't ignore the face of Zheng Dongguo.

This call wasn't to help Zheng Ze solve the problem, but to remind Secretary Wei Kuan that the owner of Cuican Fireworks had a relationship with Zheng Ze, and he should use his own judgment regarding the extent of that relationship.

The inspection could proceed, but it must be done in accordance with the law and regulations; there should be no extra complications.

He picked up the phone again and dialed the number for Secretary Wei Kuan.

"Comrade Secretary Wei Kuan, have you retired for the night?"

The voice on the other end immediately became alert: "Mayor, I haven't retired yet. Do you have any instructions?"

Deputy Secretary You Chuan's tone was calm, as if he were discussing a normal work matter: "I have something to coordinate with you."

"Is your county conducting a safety production inspection on the company Cuican Fireworks?"

"Someone came to me just now, hoping I would step in and ask the county to go easy on them."

There was a pause on Secretary Wei Kuan's end, and his voice sounded somewhat nervous: "Mayor, the inspection of Cuican Fireworks is a routine action; it is not targeting anyone."

"Please rest assured, we will definitely act in accordance with the law and regulations. We will not expand the scope, nor will we wrong any good people."

Deputy Secretary You Chuan grunted in acknowledgment, his tone remaining indifferent, but it eased Secretary Wei Kuan's nervous attitude.

"I am not interfering with your work; I am reminding you to pay attention to your work methods."

"Safety production inspections are a good thing, but they shouldn't make people feel like there is selective law enforcement, and even more so, they shouldn't make people feel like someone is being deliberately targeted."

"This company has some connection to the youngest son of Comrade Zheng Dongguo. I don't know the specific situation, so you should exercise your own judgment."

"Comrade Zheng Dongguo is currently the Deputy Director of the Provincial Renmin University of China, and he is our old leader. As long as his family members are operating legally and have no illegal or disciplinary issues, we should protect them, not attack them."

Secretary Wei Kuan quickly responded: "Rest assured, Mayor, I understand."

"We will act in accordance with the law and regulations; we will neither neglect any safety hazards nor engage in any form of selective law enforcement."

Deputy Secretary You Chuan hung up the phone, placed it on the table, and let out a long breath.

Secretary Wei Kuan was a smart man; saying this much was enough.