50: Chapter 50 The Provincial Party Committee Investigation Team Has Arrived

Zhang Huaijing remained as calm and composed as ever, continuing his deployment: "Fourth, we must establish a Factor Guarantee Group. I ask the Bureau of Natural Resources to be responsible for verifying the additional land required for the six-lane expansion. If it involves wetlands on both banks or collective land, complete the ownership confirmation and land acquisition pre-approval within one month."

"I ask the Water Conservancy Bureau to issue a supplementary flood impact assessment report; the Ecology Bureau to simplify the approval process and issue a supplementary explanation on environmental impact; and the Municipal Transportation Investment Company to take the lead in connecting with state-owned banks or striving for provincial transportation special funds. Let's do this together."

"It is now the end of September, and the 'first submission' for the Department of Transportation's budget for next year hasn't been done yet. We must seize this window of opportunity, actively work on it, and ensure the additional funds are included in next year's provincial fiscal budget."

"The budget supplement is a fight to the death. If we can't squeeze into the Department of Transportation's 2008 budget and have no money to proceed, the project will stagnate and we'll have to wait a year! Therefore, this task must succeed; failure is not an option!"

The heads of the departments below nodded in agreement, thinking he was finished, but to their surprise, Zhang Huaijing brought up a fifth point:

"Finally, we must also establish a Supervision and Inspection Group. I ask the Municipal Party Committee's Supervision Office to take the lead, with the Municipal Government's Supervision Office cooperating, to establish a 'weekly scheduling, monthly reporting' mechanism. Every week, they will summarize the progress of each group and form a 'Supervision Special Report' to be submitted to the main leaders of the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government. For units lagging in progress, the Supervision Office will directly interview the head of the department to implement accountability tracking. I'm done. Please everyone perform your duties and get to work immediately."

Secretary Man Chaojian applauded first, and the cadres followed suit.

Executive Vice Mayor Zuo Youfa and Xiang Zhicheng also applauded, even though they were still unconvinced in their hearts.

This was just the preliminary work; it hadn't reached the bidding stage yet. When that time came, that would be when the real battle would begin.

Friday afternoon, September 27th.

Due to the National Day holiday schedule adjustment, they were working normally on the 29th and 30th.

An eight-person investigation team from the Provincial Committee arrived in Haizhou City and checked into the Nanhai Hotel.

At 7:00 PM, in the most luxurious private room of the hotel's Cantonese restaurant, the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, the Mayor, the Director of the Municipal People's Congress, the full-time Deputy Secretary, the Minister of the Municipal Organization Department, and other municipal leaders hosted a welcome dinner for the investigation team.

The team was led by Mei Qing, Deputy Director of the Provincial People's Congress. While in the reception room, he kept trying to decline: "Secretary Man, you shouldn't make such a grand gesture. The investigation team has disciplinary requirements; we cannot accept banquets from the party being investigated."

"I am inviting everyone for a simple home-style meal in the name of the Municipal Party Committee. What is the problem with that? Besides, it's just us, no outsiders. You have traveled 400 kilometers, weary from the journey; surely you should let me play the host? Otherwise, people will say I, the Municipal Party Committee Secretary, am not hospitable." Secretary Man Chaojian said with a beaming smile, sounding sincere and enthusiastic.

Mayor Niu Panlong also added: "Didn't we just pass the Mid-Autumn Festival yesterday? As the saying goes, the moon on the sixteenth is as round as on the fifteenth. Yesterday was for family reunions, today is for enjoying the moon with friends. Let us celebrate a reunion festival together; it's human nature and holds great commemorative significance."

Half-reluctantly, all eight members of the investigation team attended the dinner.

As usual, there were delicacies from land and sea, vintage Moutai, and rounds of toasts, with both hosts and guests enjoying themselves thoroughly.

The Mayor was the most enthusiastic in offering toasts and drank the most, but he had a huge capacity and did not get drunk. Instead, Mei Qing, whose tolerance was average, became tipsy.

At ten o'clock, everyone moved to the hotel's VIP private room to sing and dance.

Initially, there was a plan to arrange hostesses to accompany them in dancing, but Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai refused, fearing gossip. So, the dozen or so people paired up freely and began to dance gracefully.

In officialdom, if you think dancing is about free pairing, you are wrong.

A woman like Minister Meng Zhaodi, with a voluptuous figure, long legs, and a slender waist, was a rare commodity and, moreover, the exclusive domain of the leaders. If your rank wasn't high enough, you shouldn't invite her.

Thus, Minister Meng Zhaodi danced one song each with Mei Qing and Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai. Those without female partners either didn't dance or paired up with other men. Fortunately, half of the investigation team were women, and they all knew how to dance.

Secretary Man Chaojian and Mayor Niu Panlong did not like dancing, nor were they good at it, so they sat by the dance floor, drinking, chatting, and applauding.

The Mayor, his face flushed and looking tipsy, patted Secretary Man Chaojian's arm and raised his red wine glass, saying: "Secretary, thank you."

"Why be so polite? We are good brothers." Secretary Man Chaojian patted the Mayor's shoulder like a seasoned gang boss.

The two glasses clinked gently. Not a single extra word was spoken, yet both knew exactly what was meant. This is what it means to be an old hand in the game.

When it's time to fight, they fight to the death; when it's time to shake hands and make peace, they are as close as family.

Naturally, the Mayor did not want the investigation team to conduct a real, hard-hitting investigation, and neither did Secretary Man Chaojian. He needed a stable and harmonious situation to achieve political results.

Since the Mayor had made significant concessions regarding the Chaojiang Bridge, Secretary Man Chaojian naturally had to reciprocate, putting in the effort to handle the investigation team.

At this moment, a dance tune ended. Just as Minister Meng Zhaodi wanted to take a break, Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai reached out his hand to her again: "Minister Meng, your dancing skills are superb, not inferior to Zhao Feiyan. Come, let's have another song."

"My skills are just amateurish; you are the professional, Minister." She giggled, placed her hand in his, stood up, and gracefully turned into the dance floor.

The two were in the center of the dance floor, surrounded by other dancers, creating a feeling of being the stars of the show.

Just like this investigation team, nominally led by Provincial People's Congress Standing Committee Deputy Director Mei Qing, in reality, the true controller was Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai of the Provincial Organization Department. He was the leader in charge of the Municipal and County Cadre Division and had just been promoted to Director of the Provincial Office of Public Sector Reform, a department-level position.

Mei Qing had passed retirement age and had a very good relationship with the head of the Haizhou People's Congress, Director Qiao Xinmin, so he wouldn't be taking things seriously.

Zhang Huaijing had just danced one song with a female division chief from the investigation team and was currently sitting and resting.

Looking at this scene of beautiful women, bright lights, and wine, this so-called Provincial Committee investigation team would likely be another superficial inspection. As the saying goes, they were earnestly engaging in formalities and dutifully going through the motions.

For Zhang Huaijing, this matter had absolutely nothing to do with him. He would remain neutral for the time being, not getting involved, not inviting trouble, and certainly not leaving any hidden dangers for himself.

A few minutes later, the dance ended. Deputy Minister Xue Zhongkai was tired and came down to rest, only to be immediately caught by Mayor Niu Panlong for a drink. Their relationship was indeed unusual; they were sometimes laughing and chatting, sometimes whispering.

At this moment, Minister Meng Zhaodi suddenly tilted her head and tapped Zhang Huaijing: "Secretary, I haven't danced with you tonight. Shall we go and twist a bit?"

Her plump face was flushed, her eyes sparkling with anticipation and tenderness, and the collar of her dress revealed a V-shaped snowy peak of her chest, glistening.

Zhang Huaijing, as if he had been waiting for her for a long time, blurted out: "Okay!"

The two walked into the dance floor arm in arm. This piece was a slow four-step, not like a slow three-step that required so many turns.

Minister Meng Zhaodi was also tired, and she was wearing high heels today.

She placed her hand on Zhang Huaijing's shoulder, leaning her weight onto him, deliberately standing very close, both of them smelling each other's breath and scent.

Her voluptuous breasts trembled and deformed with the dance movements, which made Zhang Huaijing feel a bit stirred inside.

Minister Meng Zhaodi seemed to read the confusion in his eyes, the flush on her face becoming even more exaggerated, and her smile carried a hint of coyness.

A woman in her early forties acting coy—it was quite special.