52: Chapter 52 Uncle Ma

It was two in the afternoon, and the sun was just right.

On the county road from Changyuan County to Hukuang Township, a police officer stood every few hundred meters, wearing brand-new winter duty uniforms, their cap badges gleaming in the sunlight.

The idlers usually seen everywhere on the roadside were nowhere to be found today.

It was as if the thugs of the entire Changyuan County had evaporated overnight.

The County Public Security Bureau held a short meeting this morning, personally presided over by Secretary Hu Qiu. The speech lasted only three minutes, but the message reached everyone attending.

"Today, provincial leaders are coming to inspect. If anyone dares to stir up trouble at this critical juncture, I guarantee I'll have them locked up until they rot in prison!"

"Everyone, make sure your stun batons are fully charged!"

"If you really run into someone who doesn't know their place, hit them in the mouth first!"

"The people coming this time are from the Provincial Party Committee, and even the Department Director is accompanying them!"

"I don't want any accidents to happen!"

"Otherwise, I will make sure that person has an accident! Do you understand!"

The effect of this message spreading was immediate.

Those who usually drove unlicensed cars around were all holed up at home today.

Those with full-sleeve tattoos of dragons or tigers were all wearing long sleeves tightly buttoned up today.

Those with connections to certain leaders in the county all received phone calls today.

The entire Changyuan County was "clean" as never before.

At the entrance of the Hukuang Township Government, dozens of people stood in a dense crowd.

Leading them were Secretary Chen Tianci and County Magistrate Lan Tianxing, followed by some members of the county's four major leadership teams.

Further back were all the cadres of the Hukuang Township Party Committee and Government.

Secretary Hu Dakui stood in the second row, his face piled with smiles, but his eyes hid a trace of unease.

Township Head Ge Jiefang stood next to him, pushing up his glasses, trying hard to maintain his composure.

Secretary Hu Qiu looked back and frowned, asking, "Where is Committee Member Chen Qing?"

Secretary Hu Dakui was taken aback and quickly said, "Committee Member Chen Qing... asked for leave. He said he has a fever, thirty-nine degrees."

Secretary Hu Qiu's frown deepened, but he didn't say anything. He knew why Committee Member Chen Qing had asked for leave.

Ever since the document for the special anti-trafficking operation was issued, Committee Member Chen Qing's state of mind had been off.

First, it was insomnia; he couldn't sleep all night long.

Later, he started having nightmares. It was said that his dreams were filled with scenes from the "Strike Hard" campaign over twenty years ago.

Police officers aiming their submachine guns, then taking off the safety, and firing!

Later on, Committee Member Chen Qing developed a fever and started talking nonsense.

Secretary Hu Dakui understood in his heart that Committee Member Chen Qing was scared.

But what could he do even if he understood?

What must come, will eventually come.

In the distance, the motorcade appeared.

Three Coasters, with police cars leading and following, drove over slowly.

Secretary Chen Tianci took a deep breath, put on his most standard smile, and went to meet them.

The motorcade stopped, and the doors opened.

The first to get off was Minister Ma Fuqiang. He was wearing a dark gray jacket and no tie, but his aura made everyone present feel a notch shorter.

Secretary Chen Tianci stepped forward quickly, extended both hands, and said, "Secretary Ma, welcome, welcome! You've had a hard journey!"

Minister Ma Fuqiang shook hands with him, his gaze sweeping over the crowd without lingering too long, only nodding faintly.

His eyes were searching for something in the crowd, and then, he saw Xu Weidong.

Xu Weidong stood in the third row, wearing a black down jacket, his scarf removed, with a faint smile on his face.

The first smile of the day appeared on Minister Ma Fuqiang's face. He walked straight over and, amidst the surprised gazes of the crowd, grasped Xu Weidong's hand.

"Comrade Weidong, we meet again."

Xu Weidong held his hand with both of his, a warmth welling up in his heart as he said, "Uncle Ma... Secretary."

"Good, good."

Minister Ma Fuqiang patted his shoulder and said, "I heard you've been doing well in Hukuang Township, so I specifically came to take a look."

The expressions of those present varied. Secretary Chen Tianci's smile stiffened for a moment.

County Magistrate Lan Tianxing's eyes flickered. Secretary Hu Dakui and Township Head Ge Jiefang looked at each other, both seeing fear in the other's eyes.

Secretary Wan Xiaohan stood to the side with a calm expression, but in his heart, he was sighing.

Minister Ma Fuqiang was here to back Xu Weidong, and he was doing it quite openly.

Xu Weidong had been excited just now, so he blurted out "Uncle Ma," but his reaction speed was fast, and he immediately realized it was inappropriate, so he added the word "Secretary" after "Uncle."

This turned it into "Secretary Ma." Although he dragged out the tail, at least he saved the sentence.

But who among those present wasn't a shrewd person?

Although this "Uncle Ma" was corrected in time, everyone heard the intimacy in it.

Secretary Chen Tianci's expression stiffened a bit more, while Secretary Hu Dakui's legs were already starting to go weak.

Minister Ma Fuqiang patted Xu Weidong's shoulder and said significantly, "Comrade Weidong, grassroots cadres must be like this: never forget the original intention, and only then will you achieve a successful outcome."

"Keep up the good work."

Next, Minister Ma Fuqiang started to walk forward.

He walked past Secretary Chen Tianci, nodded, shook hands, but didn't speak.

He walked past County Magistrate Lan Tianxing, also nodded, shook hands, but didn't speak.

He walked past the other members of the county's four major leadership teams, his gaze sweeping past them without lingering at all.

Throughout the process, Minister Ma Fuqiang hardly spoke to the cadres of Changyuan County. It wasn't that he didn't want to; it was that he couldn't remember them.

These people, their level was too...

In the eyes of Minister Ma Fuqiang, a vice-ministerial level member of the Provincial Party Committee, there was really no need to remember them.

When Secretary Hu Qiu of the County Political and Legal Affairs Commission saw Minister Ma Fuqiang walking over, he quickly stepped forward, his face full of smiles as he said, "Hello, Secretary Ma! I am Secretary Hu Qiu of the Changyuan County Political and Legal Affairs Commission!"

Minister Ma Fuqiang stopped and seemed to have heard this name somewhere.

"Secretary Hu Qiu?"

"Yes, yes, yes, I am Secretary Hu Qiu."

Minister Ma Fuqiang nodded and suddenly asked, "Comrade Secretary Hu Qiu, do you know that the underworld in Changyuan County is rampant?"

This remark was like a thunderclap, exploding in the crowd.

The smile on Secretary Hu Qiu's face froze, but only for a moment before he quickly returned to normal.

Thinking he was reacting quickly, Secretary Hu Qiu laughed dryly and said, "Secretary Ma, this... where did you hear that from?"

"Under the leadership of the Municipal Political and Legal Affairs Commission and the Municipal Party Committee, public security in our Changyuan County has always been relatively stable. I haven't heard of any rampant underworld issues."

As he spoke, Secretary Hu Qiu also glanced at Secretary Xu Qing, as if seeking support.

Secretary Xu Qing immediately widened his eyes, looking at Secretary Hu Qiu in disbelief. Had this person lost his mind?

Saying he hadn't heard of it in front of the Secretary of the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission?

This wasn't just questioning Minister Ma Fuqiang; this was slapping the face of the entire Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission!

Secretary Wan Xiaohan's expression also changed, and Secretary Lin Juncai was so angry that his eyes seemed to be spitting fire.

Deputy Secretary You Chuan closed his eyes, already starting to arrange an "accident" for Secretary Hu Qiu in his mind...

The municipal leaders present were all cursing Secretary Hu Qiu for being an idiot!

Who was Minister Ma Fuqiang?

He was the Secretary of the Fengtian Province Political and Legal Affairs Commission, the top leader of the entire provincial political and legal system!

Would he not have figured out the situation before coming?

He asked this question to give you a chance to confess proactively, not because he was really asking if you knew!

Yet, Secretary Hu Qiu gave exactly that answer... "haven't heard of it"?

This was equivalent to saying that what Secretary Ma heard was all fake and that nothing was happening here.

This was questioning the authority of a member of the Provincial Party Committee!

Are you kidding me?!

Secretary Xu Qing couldn't figure it out even after thinking about it a hundred times: when had he offended Secretary Hu Qiu?

Why would he do this to him at such a critical juncture?

Why would he do this to the entire Lvjiang City Municipal Party Committee?

Secretary Lin Juncai reacted the fastest. He stepped forward directly and shouted at Secretary Hu Qiu, "Comrade Secretary Hu Qiu!"

"What kind of attitude is this?!"

"The city has long been aware of the underworld forces in Changyuan County!"

"It is precisely because of cadres like you who only know how to whitewash the peace that the public security situation in Changyuan County has plummeted!"

Secretary Hu Qiu was stunned by the scolding, staring blankly at Secretary Lin Juncai, not knowing how to respond.

Minister Ma Fuqiang waved his hand, signaling Secretary Lin Juncai to stop.

He looked at Secretary Hu Qiu, his gaze calm, but that calmness was more terrifying than anger.

"If the local political and legal system wants to move forward steadily and far, it must play the role of a leading sheep well."

"If the leading sheep leads the way wrong, the whole team will go astray."

Secretary Hu Qiu opened his mouth but couldn't speak.

Everyone present understood the implication of Minister Ma Fuqiang's words; he was going to remove Secretary Hu Qiu.

The metaphor of the leading sheep taking the wrong path clearly pointed to the fact that Secretary Hu Qiu, as the County Political and Legal Affairs Commission Secretary and Public Security Bureau Chief, had not led well...

Secretary Wan Xiaohan was the first to react, saying in a deep voice, "Secretary Ma, you are right."

"The Lvjiang City Municipal Party Committee will definitely study this carefully and implement the spirit of Secretary Ma's instructions."

Secretary Lin Juncai also quickly expressed his position, "Secretary Ma, rest assured, the Municipal Government will definitely cooperate with the Municipal Party Committee to thoroughly rectify the political and legal system problems in Changyuan County."

Others also echoed, while Secretary Hu Qiu stood where he was, his face flushing red and then turning pale. He wanted to say something, but couldn't say anything at all.

Secretary Xu Qing turned his face away, not wanting to look at him.

This idiot had dug his own grave.

Minister Ma Fuqiang didn't say anything else and continued walking forward.

Perhaps because his level had become higher, he hadn't encountered a cadre like Secretary Hu Qiu for a long time.

He should just thank Xu Weidong; otherwise, with the level of someone like Secretary Hu Qiu, would he even be qualified to meet Minister Ma Fuqiang?

Being able to meet Minister Ma Fuqiang's secretary would already be considered having heaven-reaching connections for Secretary Hu Qiu... (Author's note: This is fiction, not based on reality. Everyone serves the people; there is no hierarchy of importance.)