Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 414 The Game at the County Party Committee Standing Committee Meeting

Wu Zhiyuan nodded in satisfaction and handed the USB drive to Chen Jimin: "This is useless to me. You can deal with it yourself."

Remember, if you are upright, you have nothing to fear, but you should also constantly reflect on yourself and be careful with your words and actions.

There are some places you should avoid if you can avoid them.

Actually, this is just a backup USB drive.

Wu Zhiyuan wouldn't be foolish enough to return the only USB drive to Chen Jimin.

Of course, Chen Jimin wasn't naive enough to think that Wu Zhiyuan had given him the only USB drive.

"Thank you for the reminder, County Chief Wu! This incident has served as a wake-up call for me, and I must be more careful with my words and actions in the future."

After leaving Wu Zhiyuan's office, Chen Jimin's first words of abuse were not directed at Wu Zhiyuan, but at Liao Chenggong.

That old bastard did indeed install hidden cameras in the villa suites.

But Chen Jimin was also puzzled: how did the video taken by the hidden camera end up in Wu Zhiyuan's hands?

It wouldn't be surprising if it ended up in Yuan Jin's hands.

But it just so happens to be in Wu Zhiyuan's hands.

Could it be that Wu Zhiyuan and Liao Chenggong have become lovers?

Next up is Deng Haidong.

Wu Zhiyuan also invited Deng Haidong to his office under the pretext of discussing work.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the conversation naturally turned to the pedestrian street.

Deng Haidong's attitude was clearer than Chen Jimin's: "County Chief Wu, Secretary Liang takes this matter very seriously and is also very angry."

Pedestrian streets are a matter of pride; allowing street vendors to set up stalls would indeed have endless consequences.

I think we should still strictly enforce the existing regulations.

Your idea is good, but it's too difficult to implement in practice.

Wu Zhiyuan smiled and did not argue. Instead, he said, "Comrade Haidong, when Secretary Yuan Jin was around, you ran around doing everything for him. You worked very hard and achieved a lot."

Now that Secretary Liang is here, your responsibilities as the head steward are even greater.

Deng Haidong couldn't quite figure out what Wu Zhiyuan was trying to say, so he casually replied, "It's all for serving the leaders and working for the county committee; it's what we should do."

"Yes, when serving a leader, the most important things are loyalty and reliability."

Wu Zhiyuan's words had a hidden meaning: "But sometimes, loyalty alone is not enough; one must also be clean."

If you're not clean, even if your boss wants to use you, he won't dare to trust you.

Deng Haidong was increasingly unable to figure out what Wu Zhiyuan was trying to say, and tentatively asked, "What does County Magistrate Wu mean?"

Wu Zhiyuan took another USB drive from the drawer and placed it on the table.

Deng Haidong looked at the USB drive and felt a chill run down his spine; an ominous premonition washed over him.

"Director Haidong, this was mailed to me anonymously."

After I saw it, I thought I should let you see it too.

After all, this concerns your personal image, and also the image of the organization.

It's the same old routine.

Deng Haidong used Wu Zhiyuan's laptop to access the USB drive.

In the video, a man and a woman are engaged in sexual intercourse.

If the man isn't Deng Haidong, then who is he?

That woman was a nobody actress that Liao Chenggong hired.

Although the actress is not well-known and has only played minor supporting roles in a few films and television dramas, she is still a professionally trained actress.

Moreover, his acting skills are quite good.

Like Chen Jimin, Deng Haidong's main stance was to deny everything: "County Chief Wu, this is a fabrication and a frame-up! I would never do such a shameless thing! It's either a composite or a face swap!"

Deng Haidong became more and more agitated as he spoke, as if he had been wronged by a great injustice: "County Chief Wu, someone can't stand me being with Secretary Yuan Jin and now serving Secretary Liang, so they want to use these despicable means to bring me down!"

How wicked people are! They actually resorted to such despicable means to frame me!

Wu Zhiyuan watched Deng Haidong's performance quietly, and only spoke slowly when his performance was almost over: "Director Haidong, you're right, technology is advanced now. Whether it's true or false, we don't have the final say."

How about this? I'll hand this over to the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection.

The disciplinary committee relies heavily on evidence when handling cases, and they can ask technical experts from the police to conduct assessments.

If the forensic report is indeed fabricated or synthesized, that would be perfect. It would clear your name, expose the person who framed you, exonerate you, and give the organization an explanation. What do you think?

Deng Haidong was immediately at a loss.

Even if the video is fake, once it's handed over to the Discipline Inspection Commission and an investigation is launched, word will immediately spread throughout the Qingyan officialdom.

The key point is that the video is real!

He was deeply impressed by that girl!

Sending him to the disciplinary committee would be like walking into a trap.

When the time comes, pulling out the radish will bring out the mud along with it, not only revealing lifestyle issues but also uncovering economic problems.

"County Chief Wu, no, no, let's not hand it over to the Discipline Inspection Commission."

Wu Zhiyuan deliberately said, "Why don't you hand it over? It'll be perfect for the Discipline Inspection Commission to clear your name."

"County Chief Wu, you are also aware of the current online public opinion environment."

Even if the disciplinary committee's investigation video is fake, the versions that are circulated are all over the place. In the end, it's like mud falling into your crotch—even if it's not shit, it'll still look like shit!

How will I be able to carry out my work then?

The image of the county party committee office and the image of Qingyan County will both be damaged.

When Deng Haidong said this, his eyes darted around, and he clearly lacked confidence.

"Director Haidong, this thing is useless to me. You can deal with it yourself."

Deng Haidong was taken aback. Was Wu Zhiyuan trying to win people's hearts?

But then he realized that Wu Zhiyuan definitely had a backup USB drive, and that he was trying to pressure and blackmail him.

"Director Haidong, if you are upright, you have nothing to fear. But if your shadow is crooked, it is sometimes not because your body is not upright, but because you are standing in the wrong place."

There are some places you should avoid if possible. And there are some people you should keep a certain distance from.

"County Chief Wu, thank you for your reminder."

Having spent over twenty years navigating the treacherous waters of officialdom, Deng Haidong naturally knew that Wu Zhiyuan's use of the USB drive wasn't a genuine attempt to report him, but rather a way to coerce him into taking sides.

Choosing Wu Zhiyuan's side will inevitably displease Liang Dongming.

This is inevitable.

The lesser of two evils.

If Wu Zhiyuan follows Liang Dongming down this dark path, he will definitely hand over the USB drive, and what awaits him will probably be more than just dismissal.

However, if one sides with Wu Zhiyuan and offends Liang Dongming, the consequence will be that one will fall out of favor, but not be dismissed.

Liang Dongming also had no authority to dismiss him from his post.

Wu Zhiyuan's shrewdness lies in the fact that he never uttered a single threatening word throughout the entire conversation.

But the more this is the case, the more frightening it becomes.

There was no other way but to side with Wu Zhiyuan. Although I wouldn't get promoted, at least I wouldn't get into trouble.

"County Chief Wu, I've been thinking about the pedestrian street issue carefully."

I think your suggestion of combining dredging and blocking is correct.

Secretary Liang is new to the area and may not be very familiar with the situation in Qingyan.

I will express my true thoughts at the Standing Committee meeting.

Wu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Director Haidong, I am very pleased with your attitude."

But I want to remind you of one thing: at the Standing Committee meeting, just be factual and objective; don't feel pressured or have any concerns.

"County Chief Wu, thank you for your reminder."

Just as Deng Haidong was about to turn and leave, Wu Zhiyuan called out to him: "Director Haidong, let's leave the matter of the USB drive here."

Since you say it's a forgery, I believe you, so there's no need to hand it over to the disciplinary committee.

After you go back, just continue doing what you were doing before, don't feel guilty.

Deng Haidong is gone.

Wu Zhiyuan leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh.

These two moves were not honorable, but there was no other choice.

On his very first day in Qingyan, Liang Dongming drew his sword, pressing forward relentlessly. From the provincial vocational college to highway projects, from the list of local notables to investment data, he set up obstacles and seized power at every turn.

If he doesn't retaliate, it won't be long before he becomes a mere figurehead as county magistrate.

There was no other way but to let Liang Dongming learn his lesson at the county party committee standing committee meeting. Wu Zhiyuan was not someone to be trifled with.

The Standing Committee of the County Party Committee is not a place where Liang Dongming can make his own decisions.

The incriminating evidence against Chen Jimin and Deng Haidong was an unexpected gain, but it also proved to be a crucial weapon in critical moments.

Although the methods used are not aboveboard, the power struggles in officialdom are sometimes about who has more cards to play and who can better exploit their opponent's weaknesses.

Wu Zhiyuan did not want to use this method, but Liang Dongming's domineering attitude forced him to take action.

……

The Standing Committee of the County Party Committee convened as scheduled.

Each of the eleven members of the Standing Committee has their own concerns.

Liang Dongming sat in the main seat and chaired the meeting.

He had already planned to use the pedestrian street issue to establish his authority and put Wu Zhiyuan in a bad light.

"Comrades, let's begin the meeting. Our first item on the agenda today is the regulation and management of pedestrian streets."

Recently, street vendors have rebounded in the pedestrian area, affecting the city's appearance and drawing strong public criticism.

We must make our stance clear, strictly manage, and resolutely curb this.

My opinion is to reiterate the ban, strengthen enforcement, and eliminate every instance discovered without exception. Please share your opinions.

According to the rules of procedure for the Standing Committee of the County Party Committee, the County Party Secretary is the last to speak, in order to prevent the County Party Secretary from having a preconceived notion and making it difficult for others to raise objections.

But Liang Dongming is Liang Dongming; he uses the rules when they suit him and discards them when they don't.

Having worked as a secretary for many years, he couldn't possibly be unaware of the system of speaking last, yet he still unconsciously revealed his own views.

In fact, even if he didn't say it, the other members of the Standing Committee knew about his dispute with Wu Zhiyuan regarding the management of street vendors.

Wang Chengtang, deputy secretary of the county party committee, immediately chimed in: "I completely agree with Secretary Liang's opinion. The pedestrian street is the window to Qingyan, and it must be kept clean and orderly."

Those street vendors occupy the road, litter, and create a smoky, unpleasant atmosphere, seriously damaging Qingyan's image.

I suggest that we not only strengthen law enforcement, but also establish a long-term mechanism, assigning responsibility to specific individuals and conducting regular assessments.

Liu Qin then stated, "I agree with Comrade Cheng Tang's opinion."

The city is currently working on creating a civilized city, and if Qingyan has any problems in this regard, it will affect the city's overall assessment.

We must consider the bigger picture in this matter.

Ma Jun, secretary of the Chengguan Town Party Committee, said: "The pedestrian street is located within the jurisdiction of Chengguan Town. From our management experience, it is indeed difficult to manage mobile vendors."

Once the restrictions are lifted, hygiene, order, and food safety will become major issues.

I suggest maintaining the existing management regulations.

Liang Dongming nodded slightly, looking confident of victory.

As soon as he spoke, three comrades supported him. He knew he couldn't get the votes from Qian Long and Liu Feng, and the votes from Bao Chunyan and Liu Jian were likely neutral, but the votes from Liang Dongming and Deng Haidong were his.

With his own vote, he needs at least six votes. Since the minority must obey the majority, he is guaranteed to win.

Liang Dongming was full of confidence; winning was a sure thing, the only question was whether he could achieve a complete victory.

Liang Dongming glanced at everyone and said, "Everyone, please speak."

Then, he turned his gaze to Chen Jimin: "Comrade Jimin, what are your thoughts?"