In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

Chapter 178, Section 177: A Minor Victory. Dismissal and Promotion. Establishing Initial Authority.
The conference room was eerily quiet.

Yang Guangming's proposed disciplinary action—removing Zhao Weiguo and Li Sujuan from their positions as group leaders and giving them a major demerit—was like a boulder thrown into a deep pool, creating not a splash, but a suffocating silence and shock.

All eyes were on Liu Jinsheng, waiting for his reaction.

Zhao Weiguo and Li Sujuan were deathly pale, their lips trembling, and cold sweat pouring down their foreheads; they were almost collapsing.

They looked at Yin Yongliang for help, then quickly lowered their heads, not daring to meet anyone's gaze.

Yin Yongliang's chest heaved violently, his fingers gripping the teacup tightly as if he were about to crush it. He stared intently at Yang Guangming, his eyes brimming with venomous resentment.

Liu Jinsheng's facial muscles twitched imperceptibly a few times.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his expression, and even managed to force a seemingly tolerant smile, but the gloom in the depths of his eyes lingered.

He cleared his throat, his voice lower and hoarser than usual, as he tried to regain control of the situation.

"Comrade Guangming," he began, his tone earnest, "I greatly admire and appreciate your conscientiousness, responsibility, and adherence to principles. Everyone should learn from you in this regard."

He first affirmed Yang Guangming's presence, which is his usual practice.

"In financial work, meticulousness is paramount. Any errors, especially those that pose a significant risk of financial loss, must be dealt with seriously! There is no doubt about that!"

His tone hardened, and his stern gaze swept over Zhao Weiguo and Li Sujuan, who trembled in fright and lowered their heads even further.

"I believe that giving Comrades Zhao Weiguo and Li Sujuan a major demerit is necessary and appropriate. They must be made to deeply realize the seriousness of their mistakes!"

At this point, Liu Jinsheng abruptly changed his tone, becoming earnest and persuasive.

“But,” he drawled, his gaze sweeping across the room as if seeking understanding, “we also need to be mindful of our methods, we need to find a way out, a way out, comrades.”

"Comrades Zhao Weiguo and Li Sujuan have worked as team leaders for many years. Even if they haven't made any great contributions, they have certainly put in a lot of hard work. They are familiar with the department's operations and understand the factory's situation."

He was trying to evoke sympathy for the "old comrades".

"Although the nature of this problem was serious, fortunately Comrade Guangming had sharp eyes and discovered it in time, thus avoiding actual losses to the factory. This can be considered a stroke of luck amidst misfortune."

He cleverly used the "attempt" as a reason to mitigate his punishment.

"My opinion is that they should be given a major demerit. I completely agree, they must be given one! They need to learn this lesson from this experience!"

He reiterated his agreement to the punishment, and then revealed his true purpose.

"But, could we keep their positions as team leaders for now? Give them a chance to redeem themselves?"

Liu Jinsheng leaned forward slightly, spreading his hands out in a gesture of discussion.

"We can issue serious criticism and stern warnings, demanding a thorough self-examination. If similar, or even close, oversights occur again in subsequent work, then there's nothing more to say!"

His tone became resolute, "When the time comes, you won't even need to bring it up, Comrade Guangming. I'll personally submit a report and immediately remove them from their posts without any leniency! What do you say?"

His gaze fell on Yang Guangming, carrying obvious pressure and a clear indication that he hoped Yang Guangming would back down gracefully.

These words seemed fair, affirming Yang Guangming and agreeing to the severe punishment, while also attempting to preserve the core positions of the two men, protecting Yin Yongliang's right-hand men, and maintaining his own authority as section chief.

Many people in the meeting room nodded in agreement, feeling that Section Chief Liu had handled the matter "fairly," being both strict and giving them a chance.

Yin Yongliang's tense expression eased slightly, as if he had seen a glimmer of hope.

Yang Guangming listened quietly, his face showing no change in expression.

He had long anticipated that Liu Jinsheng would pull this stunt, trying to smooth things over, protect people, and maintain a superficial balance.

If we back down today, then our previous strong counterattack will have been meaningless. These two traps, which are clearly malicious and may even involve deeper issues, will be easily overlooked and labeled as "work negligence." Similar incidents will only escalate in the future.

He must seize this opportunity to further weaken Yin Yongliang's power while establishing his own inviolable authority.

After Liu Jinsheng finished speaking and looked at him expectantly, Yang Guangming slowly opened his mouth.

His voice remained steady, but carried an undeniable firmness.

"Section Chief Liu, you're right. Criticism, education, and offering solutions are all necessary." He first expressed his understanding, showing proper courtesy.

"but."

His tone became more forceful, and his gaze sharpened as he looked at Zhao Weiguo and Li Sujuan. "The problems discovered this time are far more than just ordinary oversights or mistakes caused by insufficient professional competence!"

His words struck everyone like a hammer blow.

"Both documents involve huge sums of money and have obvious problems. One document contains seriously inaccurate data on the acceptance of key technologies, and the other document shows anomalies in both the quantity and unit price of the purchases. Given the years of professional experience and sensitivity of the two team leaders, could they really have been completely unaware of the logical contradictions and risks involved?"

Sunlight's bright gaze swept over the two of them like a cold searchlight.

Zhao Weiguo and Li Sujuan trembled slightly, not daring to look up.

"I believe this cannot be simply summarized as a 'mistake.' What it reflects is an extreme lack of responsibility, and may even be..."

He paused at the opportune moment, refraining from uttering the more serious word, but leaving everyone with endless room for imagination.

"How can we guarantee the safety of the department's funds if such a comrade continues to hold such a crucial position as team leader? How can we reassure the factory leaders? And how can we gain the trust of the other diligent and meticulous colleagues in the department?"

A series of rhetorical questions, each reasonable and hitting the nail on the head.

Yang Guangming turned to Liu Jinsheng, his attitude still respectful, but his stance unwavering.

"Section Chief Liu, receiving a major demerit is a procedural punishment. Removing him from his position as team leader is to hold him accountable for his leadership responsibilities. These two are not contradictory."

He made a slight concession and offered a choice.

"Considering the past work of these two comrades, perhaps... the punishment can be mitigated. However, their positions as team leaders must be revoked! This is not only being responsible for the work, but also for the factory, and most importantly, for them personally!"

He blocked any possibility of Liu Jinsheng continuing to plead for leniency by saying that he would "take responsibility for them personally".

The implication is that if they continue like this, even bigger problems will arise next time, and the situation will be even more unmanageable.

Liu Jinsheng's face turned ugly.

Yang Guangming's resolute attitude completely surprised him. This young man left absolutely no room for negotiation!
Before Liu Jinsheng could figure out how to respond, Yin Yongliang, who was standing to the side, could no longer hold back.

He slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, his cheek muscles twitching with excitement.

"Yang Guangming! What do you mean by this? Are you going to seize on every little problem and destroy it?"

His voice was shrill, filled with a frantic rage.

"Who doesn't make mistakes or overlook things at work? Just because you have doubts, does that mean you should condemn someone outright and dismiss them?"

He tried to muddy the waters by being unreasonable and sophistry.

"The report was issued by the technical department, and the workshop stamped it. They trusted the business department, so they rushed through the process and overlooked some minor details. At most, it's just a lack of rigor in their work! To blow it out of proportion and threaten dismissal is too harsh! This is retaliation!"

He even tried to put a hat on Yang Guangming.

The atmosphere in the meeting room, which had just eased slightly, instantly became tense again.

Everyone held their breath, watching the intense second round of clashes.

Yang Guangming remained even calmer in the face of Yin Yongliang's roar.

He slowly stood up, looked straight at Yin Yongliang, his gaze as cold as ice.

"Deputy Section Chief Yin." His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly overpowered Yin Yongliang's lingering words. "Please understand, this is not a minor oversight, nor is it a trivial matter!"

His tone suddenly became stern.

"This is a matter of principle involving the safety of huge sums of money! To treat obviously abnormal data as a 'minor detail' is extremely irresponsible!"

He retorted without hesitation, then turned his gaze to the trembling Zhao Weiguo and Li Sujuan.

"Since Deputy Section Chief Yin insists that this was just an unintentional 'oversight,' and Team Leaders Zhao and Li also seem to think that my handling of the matter was too harsh..."

A cold, stern smile curved at the corners of Yang Guangming's lips.

"Alright, in order not to wrong any comrade, and in order to thoroughly figure out whether this is a simple mistake or if there are other problems."

His gaze swept over Liu Jinsheng and Yin Yongliang, and he spoke slowly and deliberately.

"I stand by my previous proposal: we should now ask the comrades from the political work group to intervene and conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of these two documents, including the technical department's acceptance process, the workshop's signature confirmation, the supply and marketing cooperative's pricing basis, and the entire financial audit process!"

"The political work team has investigated thoroughly. If the conclusion is indeed that it was just an unintentional mistake, I, Yang Guangming, will apologize to Team Leader Zhao and Team Leader Li on the spot and withdraw all the proposed disciplinary actions!"

His voice was firm and resolute, echoing in the conference room.

"But if the investigation uncovers other problems, then whoever is responsible will bear the consequences! What do you think, Deputy Section Chief Yin, Section Chief Liu? This is the fairest approach. What do you both think?"

This checkmate completely sealed everyone's fate.

Upon hearing the words "political work group," Zhao Weiguo and Li Sujuan lost all color in their faces and nearly fainted.

If the political work team were to investigate, their little affair wouldn't stand up to scrutiny! It wouldn't be as simple as just being dismissed!

Yin Yongliang felt as if he had been choked, all his words were blocked, his face turned red, he pointed at Yang Guangming, his fingers trembling, but he couldn't say a word.

Of course he knew he couldn't investigate!

Liu Jinsheng cursed Yin Yongliang inwardly for being so stupid, jumping out at this moment to say such foolish things that would give others a handle against him!

He glared fiercely at Yin Yongliang, then took a deep breath, knowing that the situation was hopeless.

If they continue to protect him, they might get dragged down with them. Yang Guangming is clearly willing to escalate the situation, and the other party has indeed left behind a huge handle against him.

"Enough!" Liu Jinsheng shouted in a deep voice, breaking the suffocating stalemate.

His face was ashen, and he glanced at Yang Guangming with a complicated look before turning to Zhao Weiguo and Li Sujuan, his tone heavy and helpless.

"Zhao Weiguo, Li Sujuan, you two tell me! Do the problems pointed out by Deputy Section Chief Yang actually exist? As the team leaders, shouldn't you bear the main responsibility?"

He posed the question to the two parties involved as a final step, letting them choose for themselves.

Should they stubbornly resist and wait for the political work group to intervene, with unpredictable consequences? Or should they admit their mistakes and accept punishment to preserve their last shred of dignity?

All eyes were on Zhao Weiguo and Li Sujuan.

The two men trembled like leaves in the wind, their backs soaked with cold sweat. After struggling for a few seconds, Zhao Weiguo was the first to break down.

He raised his head, his face ashen, his eyes unfocused, his voice trembling with sobs and endless regret.

“Section Chief Liu, Deputy Section Chief Yin, Deputy Section Chief Yang… I… I was wrong… It was my negligence in reviewing the report, blindly trusting it, and failing to fulfill my review responsibilities… I almost caused significant losses to the factory… I… I accept any punishment… I have no face to be this team leader anymore…”

After he finished speaking, he seemed to have all his strength drained away, slumped into the chair, and covered his face with his hands.

Seeing this, Li Sujuan knew there was no way to change the situation, and said in a trembling voice, "I also accept the punishment... When applying for the purchase quantity... I did not strictly check the inventory and demand... I did not investigate the unit price fluctuations... My sense of responsibility is too poor... I am willing to accept the organization's punishment... Removal from my position as team leader..."

Both chose to give up resistance and resign voluntarily. This was the best option for them at the moment, at least avoiding a more terrible investigation.

There was silence in the conference room.

Only the heavy, shameful breathing of the two could be heard.

Yin Yongliang closed his eyes, slumped back into his chair, his face ashen. He knew it was over. The vast network he had painstakingly built over the years had been torn open by Yang Guangming, leaving a gaping hole.

Liu Jinsheng remained silent for a moment, as if he had suddenly lost all his energy.

He slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping across the entire room, each word spoken with unusual weight.

"Since Comrades Zhao Weiguo and Li Sujuan have recognized the seriousness of their mistakes and have voluntarily stated that they are no longer suitable to serve as group leaders..."

He paused for a moment, as if gathering his strength.

"Now I hereby announce: Comrade Zhao Weiguo is relieved of his post as head of the special fund management group, and Comrade Li Sujuan is relieved of her post as head of the settlement and reimbursement group."

The work of the two groups will be temporarily overseen by deputy group leaders Zhou Weimin and Wu Aihua, respectively.

"Regarding the major demerit..." Liu Jinsheng glanced at Yang Guangming, "Given that their attitude in admitting their mistakes was acceptable and no actual losses were caused, it will not be recorded in their files for now, to be observed for future behavior. I hope everyone will take this as a warning!"

He still tried his best to salvage the situation by not immediately issuing a major demerit, but that was no longer important.

Seeing that the main objective had been achieved, Yang Guangming no longer insisted on immediate disciplinary action. A sense of proportion is crucial.

After making the announcement, Liu Jinsheng felt a wave of exhaustion. He waved his hand: "Everyone, go back to work. Zhao Weiguo, Li Sujuan, you stay."

As if waking from a dream, everyone got up, and the chairs rustled as they moved.

The expressions on everyone's faces were incredibly complex: shock, awe, realization, whispers... The way they looked at Yang Guangming was completely different now.

This young man, through a single meeting and a swift and decisive counterattack, thoroughly established his authority and powerful image within the finance department.

People left the meeting room with their heads down and hurried steps, as if staying even a second longer would taint them with that unsettling atmosphere.

No one spoke, but the exchange of glances conveyed more information than any language.

Some of the older accountants frowned, seemingly worried about the sudden storm; while several younger staff members couldn't hide their excitement, feeling that the stagnant department was finally about to be stirred up.

Yang Guangming calmly tidied up his notebook and documents, as if the thrilling exchange just now was merely a trivial part of his daily work.

His movements were unhurried and deliberate; he even had the leisure to carefully cap the pen and put it in his jacket pocket. This composure, observed by Liu Jinsheng and Yin Yongliang, who had not yet left, made them feel that he was extremely shrewd and calculating.

Zhou Weimin and Wu Aihua followed the flow of people out of the conference room.

Their emotions were like a raging storm, their hearts pounding so hard they felt like they were about to burst out of their chests.

They subconsciously avoided eye contact with anyone, especially the leaders and deputy leaders of the other groups. They could feel the scrutinizing, probing, and perhaps even jealous and hostile gazes from behind.

The two men's decision to align themselves with the new deputy section chief was somewhat forced and a gamble. They never imagined the rewards would come so quickly and so immensely! It felt like an unreal dream.

The difference between a deputy team leader and a team leader may be only one word, but the power, responsibility, treatment, and even their status within the department are worlds apart. They were originally more of an executor and collaborator within the team, but now they are about to leap to become decision-makers and leaders.

They originally thought they would have to wait a long time and struggle, and even silently endure the suppression and exclusion from the original team leader and the forces behind him for a considerable period of time.

Unexpectedly, Yang Guangming, with overwhelming force, took advantage of the fatal mistake made by the other party and brought down the two team leaders who had not been weak in their positions.

And they, as the deputy leaders of their respective groups, naturally became the successors.

Although it still needs to be reported to the factory for approval and go through the procedures, the section chief has already announced at the meeting that they will be in charge of the work, so it's practically a done deal.

In order to quell the situation as quickly as possible, Section Chief Liu would not allow any further complications arising from such procedural issues.

Excitement, exhilaration, disbelief, and a hint of unease and immense pressure intertwined in their hearts.

They knew very well that the position of team leader was not an easy one.

The mess left behind by Zhao Weiguo and Li Sujuan may have problems that need to be sorted out; whether the other members of the group will cooperate sincerely, especially those senior staff members who have close ties with the original group leader; more importantly, they have been labeled as "honest and upright people", which will inevitably make them targets that Liu Jinsheng and Yin Yongliang need to be wary of.

They glanced at each other and saw the same complex emotion in each other's eyes—a mixture of elation at the opportunity and a clear understanding of the challenges ahead.

They exchanged a glance but said nothing, only nodding very slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Then, she quickly lowered her head, quickened her pace, and almost fled back to her desk. She immediately picked up a document, pretended to be busy, as if nothing had happened, trying to process this sudden and drastic change.

But they knew perfectly well that from this moment on, their fates were inextricably linked with that excessively young Deputy Section Chief Yang.

When one is prosperous, both are prosperous; when one is lost, both are harmed!
They must be more careful and diligent than ever before, not only to quickly familiarize themselves with the team leader's overall work, but also to achieve results in order to secure this unexpected position and truly become Deputy Section Chief Yang's reliable right-hand man, rather than a burden to him.

Aside from those who remained, Yang Guangming was the last to leave the meeting room. He gently closed the door, shutting out the undoubtedly tense conversation between Liu Jinsheng, Yin Yongliang, and the two distraught former team leaders inside.

He took a deep breath; the air still seemed to carry the tension, intensity, and even a hint of gunpowder from the conference room.

Although his nerves had relaxed, his brain was still working at high speed, reviewing every detail and every exchange.

The start went even more smoothly than he had expected, it could even be described as perfect, and he won a small game.

He not only successfully evaded the trap set for him, but also used the situation against him, severing Yin Yongliang's two most important arms in one fell swoop, greatly weakening the opponent's strength, and taking the opportunity to plant his own people.

But he dared not relax or feel complacent in the slightest.

He knew perfectly well that this was just the beginning, the first round of a long game.

Liu Jinsheng and Yin Yongliang will not give up so easily. Today's setback will only make them more vigilant and resentful, and their subsequent counterattacks may be more covert, more ruthless, and even unscrupulous.

Through this incident, he has already made a preliminary conclusion: the waters in the finance department run very deep!

Moreover, promoting Zhou Weimin and Wu Aihua also meant moving them from the relatively safe behind-the-scenes to the turbulent front, making them new and more obvious targets.

Can they withstand the pressure? Can they grow quickly? Can they effectively manage groups four and five? These are all unknowns.

After all, it was a special time, and he had to give them enough support and guidance.

Consolidating today's achievements, guarding against the impending counterattack, gradually cultivating and strengthening our own capabilities, and ensuring the normal operation of the department's daily work without any problems... there are still too many challenges and difficult tasks ahead.

He felt that the burden on his shoulders had not become lighter, but heavier.

He walked steadily toward his office, deliberately slowing his pace as he passed the door of the large office, and calmly glanced inside.

The office, which had been filled with whispers, fell completely silent the moment he appeared, with only the occasional clatter of abacus beads being accidentally knocked over.

Almost everyone immediately lowered their heads, pretending to be completely absorbed in the ledgers and tables in front of them, as if they had never looked up before.

But an invisible, tense, and spy-like atmosphere permeated every corner.

Yang Guangming could clearly feel countless gazes, some direct and some indirect, focused on him. Those gazes were filled with awe, curiosity, speculation, and perhaps even a hint of barely perceptible fear.

He knew that after today's battle, his image in the finance department had been completely changed. He was no longer a young, parachuted-in cadre who needed to be integrated and might be looked down upon, but a powerful leader with an iron fist, meticulous thinking, and the factory director standing behind him.

He didn't stop or make any statement, and walked straight to his small office at the end of the corridor.

His expression remained calm as always, even carrying a hint of indifference as he focused on thinking, making it impossible to discern his true thoughts at that moment.

As he entered his office, he closed the door behind him, shutting out all the prying eyes and noise from outside.

He walked to the window, looked at the familiar factory area below, and stood there quietly for a while, letting his somewhat turbulent thoughts slowly settle down.

He had been highly focused and tense throughout the meeting, and only now did he feel a slight fatigue creeping in. But he knew that now was not the time to relax.

He picked up the application document on the table regarding the overhaul funding for the spinning machine, then looked at the labor protection supplies procurement plan next to it, his gaze becoming serious.

Although he successfully retaliated, the problems exposed by these two documents left him feeling heavy-hearted.

This is clearly a blatant violation of regulations!
In an effort to oust him, Yin Yongliang resorted to such means, which may even implicate certain individuals in the technical department, workshop, and even the supply and marketing cooperative.

The chain of interests involved is probably more complex than imagined!
Was Zhao Weiguo and Li Sujuan's cooperation solely at Yin Yongliang's behest, or did they also have their own vested interests at stake?
Today he stopped these two problematic expenditures, but it's hard to guarantee that there aren't other similar problems hidden in the vast sea of ​​accounts and reports.

The internal management loopholes in the finance department are probably quite significant!
Did Liu Jinsheng, as the section chief, genuinely not know the truth, intentionally condone it, or simply tacitly approve it to some extent?

He felt that he was facing not just one or two opponents, but rather an invisible and intricate network of relationships, a long-standing and deeply entrenched network of interests.

To truly understand the situation here and achieve the factory manager's desired "supervision" and "control" is by no means easy; it can even be described as a nerve-wracking task.

He picked up a pen and wrote down several keywords on a new sheet of paper: "Special Fund Approval Process", "Procurement Inquiry and Review Mechanism", "Lack of Internal Supervision"...

These are areas that need to be carefully reviewed and standardized in the next step. However, he also knows that the establishment and implementation of systems cannot be separated from the human factor. Right now, the most pressing issue is still the human element.

He thought of Zhou Weimin and Wu Aihua, and realized he needed to talk to them separately as soon as possible.

While acknowledging their previous work and explicitly supporting their leadership of the group, we must also give them a warning, reminding them of the challenges and pressures they will soon face, and requiring them to be honest and self-disciplined, strictly follow the rules, quickly familiarize themselves with all aspects of the business, and stabilize the situation within the group.

At the same time, we should also listen to their views on the current situation of each group and their initial ideas for the next steps.

He had to handle all the complexities calmly and systematically.

Yang Guangming leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and pressed his temples hard with his fingers. The office was silent except for his own breathing and the distant, continuous roar of industrial noise outside the window.

The road ahead is long and destined to be full of thorns.

But after this battle, his foundation has become much more solid.

He was no longer alone; he had some initial allies worth observing and cultivating.

More importantly, he used his abilities and skills to earn a certain degree of respect within the department, which also paved the way for the next stage of work.

The world in the finance department is indeed about to change, and the prelude to this change has only just begun.

(End of this chapter)