Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 44 The Female Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary – "Black Widow"

Sun Runcai wore an expression of pity for his misfortune and anger at his lack of self-respect: "Zhiyuan, it's not that you don't believe me, it's that you're afraid to admit the truth, isn't it?"

To be honest, I really admire you; you actually slept with Su Taohong for over a year!

This woman is truly extraordinary; I knew she was remarkable the first time I met her.

But when I first saw you, I was completely bewitched. How could I possibly advise you to let go?

Wu Zhiyuan chuckled and said, "Alright, you're an investigation expert, I'll trust your judgment for now."

However, that night, Su Taohong said that person could get me fired from the Municipal Forestry Bureau, and two days later, I was reassigned to Qinglongshan Forest Farm.

She also said I wasn't worthy to know who that man was. I immediately realized that man was incredibly powerful.

Sun Runcai said worriedly, "Zhiyuan, the Sang family has been operating in Longcheng for many years. They are deeply rooted and have a very close relationship with Zhang Wanlin, who is also an ally with a very strong bond of interests."

If Su Taohong is truly detached from the relationship between the father and son, given her cunning, she might be holding some secrets. In that case, she's practically sitting on a powder keg that could explode at any moment.

If you don't play it right, you can lose your life. These days, how many women have been killed by such play? There are tons of reports about it online.

Wu Zhiyuan murmured, "Yes, Su Taohong is scheming and a little clever, but she's not the kind of person who's particularly smart."

In other words, she was being presumptuous. If she was truly trying to mediate between this father and son, it was indeed like trying to get something out of a tiger.

How could a woman who thinks she's so clever be a match for the old fox Sang Jiaquan? She'd be played to death without even knowing how she died!

Su Taohong and I have nothing to do with each other anymore. Even if I remind her, she still thinks I'm meddling.

"If it's going to rain, it'll rain; if a mother wants to remarry, so be it!"

Sun Runcai sighed: "That's what we say, but we both know very well that if Su Taohong is really involved with the Sang family father and son so deeply, she may be holding some deadly things, such as videos of her with the entire Sang family."

These things might be an unexpected breakthrough for us in bringing down Sang Jiaquan;

But for Su Taohong, it was a sword hanging over her head.

If Sang Jiaquan felt that Su Taohong was a threat, or wanted to get rid of her, he was absolutely capable of killing her.

There are far too many cases of officials killing their mistresses! In Longcheng, many such incidents have occurred over the years.

……

Xu Youwei disliked putting on airs as an official and didn't like being surrounded by entourages.

Some leaders have secretaries who drive them to and from work and help them carry their bags.

But Xu Youwei was not.

This made Wu Zhiyuan feel much more relaxed.

After Xu Youwei arrived at work, Wu Zhiyuan reported that Wu Qiang had provided evidence that Longqiao Coal Mine had concealed a mining accident.

Xu Youwei said happily, "Great! Zhang Wanlin thought that by dealing with Wu Qiang's family, the matter of concealing the mine accident was over. Little did he know, we have already obtained a key to unlock the room where Zhang Wanlin's various crimes are hidden."

However, one must be extremely cautious and act only when the opportunity arises; otherwise, opening the door might unleash a venomous snake. You might fail to kill the snake and get bitten instead.

Wu Zhiyuan nodded in deep agreement: "Secretary Xu, you're right. This evidence is too crucial, and too sensitive."

Xu Youwei stood up and paced slowly around the office, his brows furrowed as he fell into deep thought.

He has been engaged in the fight against organized crime for many years, but none of those criminal gang leaders were as powerful, wealthy, or vicious as Zhang Wanlin, who was also deeply intertwined with officials at all levels.

"Zhiyuan, we're going to the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection for investigation now. The Commission for Discipline Inspection is the handle of the knife, and we must firmly grasp it in our own hands," Xu Youwei said earnestly. "When a leader goes to govern a local area, he must firmly grasp the Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Organization Department."

The Discipline Inspection Commission removes officials from their posts, while the Organization Department issues them. If you can control these two key positions, you can practically control the overall situation.

Wu Zhiyuan knew that Xu Youwei would not have said these words if he did not completely trust him; he was teaching methods and strategies.

Why do many people who have worked as secretaries advance so quickly?

It's not just about the network of contacts I built while working as a secretary, but also about learning leadership skills and methods by being around leaders.

More importantly, it allows one to observe up close how leaders dismantle complex situations, balance the interests of all parties, and even the logic behind their considerations in making crucial decisions.

These intricacies hidden behind the "appointment of official hats" and "removal of official hats" are genuine skills that cannot be learned from books and will not be easily taught by others.

The Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection is located in this same building as the Municipal Party Committee.

As Xu Youwei put on his coat and set off, he said, "Secretary Lin Xue and I are old acquaintances. We were classmates in a training program for section-level cadres more than ten years ago."

Wu Zhiyuan knew more or less about Lin Xue, a member of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee and Secretary of the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Lin Xue was transferred from the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection at the beginning of the year and has the nickname "Black Widow".

This name has multiple meanings.

First, Lin Xue was a widow whose husband had died. She died of a sudden heart attack, apparently on her lover's stomach.

Secondly, Lin Xue likes to wear black clothes. In public, she habitually wears black clothes, even in summer, it is always a black T-shirt and black trousers. I have never seen her wear a skirt.

Third, Lin Xue is known for his strict and uncompromising approach, having investigated and punished numerous provincial-level officials during his time working in the Discipline Inspection and Supervision Office of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Fourth, Lin Xue is stern and has a cold demeanor. Unlike some leaders who are indifferent to their subordinates and fawn over their superiors, she treats everyone the same.

Lin Xue greeted Xu Youwei at the entrance of the corridor on the fifteenth floor.

Lin Xue is forty years old, but looks a few years younger than her actual age.

Black silk shirt, black straight-leg trousers, black leather shoes.

I don't know why Lam Suet likes black so much.

In fact, Lin Xue is a very beautiful woman, but because she is too cold, her beauty always seems to be covered by a layer of ice, lacking a bit of the warmth that makes people want to get close to her.

"Secretary Xu, you've come in person." Lin Xue remained serious, even though she and Xu Youwei were old acquaintances.

Xu Youwei laughed and said, "If you don't come, I'll come over."

Lin Xue explained, "I've been in Beijing for training for a while now, and I've been preparing materials to give you a presentation in person. That's why you've come all this way."

Lin Xue's gaze lingered on Wu Zhiyuan for more than ten seconds, her eyes showing some surprise, but in the end she said nothing.

Next, accompanied by Lin Xue, Xu Youwei first visited the cadres and staff of various departments of the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection.

With a smile, he warmly shook hands with everyone, inquired about their work, and thanked them for their efforts in maintaining a clean and upright political environment in Longcheng.

These are all standard procedures, reflecting the leader's concern and approachability, but there's nothing new about them.

After the visit, Xu Youwei went into Lin Xue's office.

Xu Youwei introduced Wu Zhiyuan: "This is my secretary, Wu Zhiyuan. He has excellent overall qualities and never lets us down in critical moments."

Lin Xue glanced at Wu Zhiyuan a few more times: "This is the first time I've heard Secretary Xu speak so highly of someone."

Xu Youwei laughed heartily: "Secretary Lin, I also have a very high opinion of you."

After a few pleasantries, let's get down to business.

Lin Xue cut to the chase: "Secretary Youwei, we're old classmates. Let's talk behind closed doors, and I won't stand on ceremony with you."

You're probably already aware of the current situation at the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection. On the surface, the team is well-organized and capable of handling tough battles. But underneath, there's a lot of undercurrent.

She paused, then continued, "Several deputy secretaries, standing committee members, and heads of key departments have intricate relationships with Mayor Ai Kun and Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee Zhang Xiaotian. Some of them were even promoted by them."

There are no problems with their daily work, but once it involves investigating people on their line or touching on certain core interest groups, resistance arises.

Leaks and oversights are common, often putting investigations at a disadvantage. Key evidence is hard to secure, suspects receive advance notice and prepare accordingly, and even witnesses may inexplicably change their statements or disappear.

To be honest, I'm now hesitant to launch investigations into some major cases; I have to be extremely cautious and even rely on unconventional channels to obtain information.

Xu Youwei's expression turned serious: "This is a very serious problem. I encountered the same problem as you when I led the crackdown on organized crime before."

The Discipline Inspection Commission is a sword of intra-party supervision. If this sword rusts, or if its handle is secretly held by someone, then what is the point of supervision, discipline enforcement, and accountability? Purifying the political environment becomes nothing but empty talk!