Chapter 92: Xu Yuncai’s Scheming

Guan Mushan and Wei Chonghu had rushed over from home.

An hour earlier, the banquet at Guan Mushan’s house had ended in discord. Yang Dong had refused to apologize, and the atmosphere had plunged to freezing.

Then, after Yin Tiejun left in a hurry, the dinner was over for good.

Su Muyun said not another word. She rose, took the enforcement recorder, and walked out. Sun Xiufen could not even stop her as she drove her BMW straight back to the provincial capital, Beichun City.

Guan Mushan and Wei Chonghu had originally had no need to return to the municipal commission to work overtime, since by the time of the banquet the workday was already over.

But Guan Mushan felt that something was not quite right. After discussing it with Wei Chonghu, he hurried back to the commission building and called an emergency meeting of the Standing Committee late into the night.

There were nine standing committee members in all at the municipal commission, and with him as secretary, that made ten people altogether.

Everyone was present tonight.

Specifically, they were: Standing Committee member of the municipal party committee and secretary of the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection, Guan Mushan.

Wei Chonghu, executive deputy secretary of the commission and director of the supervisory bureau.

Gong Xinli, second deputy secretary of the commission.

Xu Yuncai, third deputy secretary of the commission.

Xin Yao, standing committee member of the commission and secretary of the Kaiyang County Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Ling Zhenting, standing committee member of the commission, secretary-general, and director of the general office.

Dong Youlin, standing committee member of the commission and executive deputy director of the supervisory bureau.

Lang Hai, standing committee member of the commission and director of the organ party committee.

Su Tongzhou, standing committee member of the commission and director of the First Discipline Inspection and Supervision Office.

Liu Shan, standing committee member of the commission and director of the Case Review Office.

These ten people comprised the entire meeting.

“Secretary Wei, who is Yang Dong?” Xin Yao, the secretary of the Kaiyang County Commission for Discipline Inspection, frowned and looked toward Wei Chonghu.

As the top disciplinary official in Kaiyang County, he was also a standing committee member of the city commission, but under normal circumstances he rarely involved himself in the affairs of the municipal commission. He concerned himself only with his own patch in Kaiyang County.

He knew the commission had formed an investigation team, but since it did not involve any Kaiyang County cadres, he only knew the main leaders of the team. As for the group leaders and members beneath them, he had not paid them much mind.

So when Wei Chonghu brought up Yang Dong, he had no idea who that was.

“Old Xin, Yang Dong is the leader of the tenth special case unit under the investigation team, a young comrade seconded from the city government office,” Xu Yuncai introduced him with a smile, deliberately emphasizing the city government office.

After hearing that, Xin Yao gave an “oh” and said no more.

Who it was had nothing to do with him. He was a cadre from Kaiyang County and had no desire to wade into the muddy waters of the city.

“Since we are all standing committee members of the municipal commission, I won’t beat around the bush. Some things need to be made clear,” Wei Chonghu continued grimly.

“I am not targeting Comrade Yang Dong. It is simply that, at this stage, it is not appropriate for him to continue serving as the leader of the commission’s special case unit.”

“Today, Tian Guanghan confessed to some matters involving sensitive areas. To protect our frontline comrades, we convened this meeting.”

When he said this, Wei Chonghu looked at Xu Yuncai and asked, “Secretary Xu, do you agree?”

Xu Yuncai’s mind stirred, and he immediately understood what was going on.

That damned Tian Guanghan, if he was going to confess, then he should have confessed properly. Why did he have to spill the truth about the murder case at Caiyun KTV? Now he had put everyone in a terribly awkward position.

When Luo Jin took the duplicate of the enforcement recorder and handed it to Secretary Wu, Secretary Wu had just finished a family meeting, and Xu Yuncai was among those present.

At that moment, he realized just how terrifying Tian Guanghan’s confession really was.

A rape-murder case involving a hostess had somehow implicated the son of a provincial deputy-level official, the sons of three provincial deputy department-level officials, and the sons of two deputy department-level officials in Lingyun City.

With a case this huge and this wide in scope, once it came to light, all of Lingyun City would become a powder keg, ready to explode in an instant.

Secretary Wu immediately issued important instructions, urging the municipal commission to handle Tian Guanghan’s report materials properly, to resolve Tian Guanghan’s corruption issues appropriately, and to ensure that Tian Guanghan was brought to justice, so as to uphold party discipline, the law, and the image of the government.

Everyone who attended the family meeting agreed with Secretary Wu’s view.

But less than half an hour had passed before the municipal commission office called him back for an urgent meeting.

And then came the scene before them now: Wei Chonghu was advocating stripping Yang Dong of his post as leader of the tenth special case unit.

What incredible luck Yang Dong had, to receive such special “care” from Wei Chonghu.

This was not him being brought down for committing crimes. Rather, it was under the banner of protecting him that Yang Dong was to be temporarily removed from the position of unit leader.

But all of this had been caused by Yang Dong in the first place. If Yang Dong stepped down, who would bear the responsibility?

“In my personal opinion, there is no need for that, is there?” After sorting all this out, Xu Yuncai answered Wei Chonghu with a bright smile.

“Comrade Yang Dong is an outstanding comrade seconded from the city government. We have already caused him enough trouble. We would truly be letting Comrade Yang Dong down.”

“And now we want to suspend the post of that young comrade. Wouldn’t that chill his heart?”

“Even though Comrade Yang Dong is not an officially staffed member of our municipal commission, he is still a member of the city government. Shouldn’t we at least take the city government’s dignity into account when we act?”

“We’ve already taken away one of the city government’s colleagues from them several times over. Isn’t that rather improper?”

“Besides, Comrade Yang Dong is a meritorious contributor. He first cleared up Comrade Yin Tiejun’s injustice, which also helped our municipal commission avoid making a mistake and wrongly accusing one of our own comrades.”

“Then he cracked the Tian Guanghan case, which added luster to our municipal commission.”

“For a comrade like that, I do not support suspending his position as unit leader.”

Sometimes the person speaking up for you is not necessarily the person who wants the best for you.

He may well be the kind of villain who wants to kick you straight to the edge of the cliff.

But you still have to thank him for it, because after all, he is only “thinking of you.”

Wei Chonghu’s expression hardened, and then he looked to Gong Xinli. “Old Gong, you’ve been with discipline inspection for more than thirty years. Your opinion carries the most weight.”

Gong Xinli waved his hand and smiled. “I’m not the leader of the municipal commission’s investigation team, and I don’t supervise specific case-handling matters. I won’t express an opinion.”

“I think the secondment procedures were issued by the municipal commission office and the municipal organization department. We should ask Secretary-General Ling for his view.”

“Would this move bring any unfavorable effects to Secretary-General Ling?”

“After all, if the city government has any complaints, Secretary-General Ling will be the first to take the blame.”

With a smile all over his face, Gong Xinli looked toward Ling Zhenting.

The man had deftly tossed the burden straight onto Ling Zhenting.

When Ling Zhenting heard this, he cursed inwardly, but he still had to answer. The other man was a deputy secretary of the municipal commission, half a rank above him, and counted as his superior.

“Leaders, comrades, as the secretary-general and director of the office of the municipal commission, I will always keep pace with Secretary Guan.”

“I think matters like this should still be decided by Secretary Guan.”

He had shown his loyalty while sending the initiative back to Guan Mushan.

This Secretary-General Ling really did have a sharp hand.

“I...” Ring, ring, ring...

Just as Guan Mushan was about to speak, his private phone in his pocket rang and cut him off.

He took it out, glanced at the caller ID, and said with unchanged expression, “Comrades, I need to take this call first. Let’s adjourn for a few minutes. Have some tea and wet your throats.”

With that, Guan Mushan picked up the phone and walked quickly out of his office to a corner of the corridor, where he pressed the answer button.

“Old leader, you’re still awake? So late at night?” he asked respectfully.

It was already close to ten in the evening. If the old leader was calling him at this hour, something must have happened.

“Mushan, has Xiaoyun run into some trouble in your Lingyun City?” came the voice of an elderly man over the phone. It was slightly aged, but still full of energy, calm and carrying a note of warmth.

When Guan Mushan heard the old leader ask that, his heart gave a jolt.

Was the old leader questioning him because of Yang Dong?