Right path to power

In the afternoon, in the secretary's office.

"Comrade Guangyan, I have already reported your situation to Secretary Yongren of the Municipal Party Committee. You should be prepared that the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection will make a disciplinary decision soon."

Xie Guangyan's heart tightened, his face turned slightly pale, and his voice became dry: "Secretary, I...I accept any punishment."

Seeing Xie Guangyan's grim expression, Lin Xiao smiled slightly: "Secretary Hao said that you are a comrade with principles and can still be redeemed. Therefore, you might be given a lighter punishment. However, the final decision rests with the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection."

Xie Guangyan was immediately overjoyed.

He understood that Lin Xiao's support was indispensable in this.

"Thank you, Secretary."

"It's mainly up to you to save yourself. Otherwise, no one can help you. I hope you learn from this experience, take it as a warning, and put more effort into your work in the future to achieve good results."

Although the final punishment has not yet been announced, Lin Xiao is certain it won't be too severe, since he has subtly offered his suggestions.

"Thank you, Secretary. I will definitely learn from this experience, remember the lessons, adhere to the bottom line, work diligently, and live an honest life. Just watch my actions," Xie Guangyan solemnly declared.

Of course, no matter how minor the punishment is, it will definitely affect future promotions; at least for a period of time, the individual will not be eligible for promotion.

But once you get rid of that heavy burden, you can move forward with a lighter load.

In any case, this is a good thing for Xie Guangyan.

Lin Xiao nodded, but then added, "If a cadre wants to go further, there are two things: first, work hard and achieve results; second, be honest, self-disciplined, and of upright character."

Although you see some people climbing the ladder quickly through crooked means, they will inevitably fall hard one day. Your previous behavior was also very dangerous; if you're not careful, you could slide into the abyss of illegality and misconduct, and by then it will be truly beyond redemption.

Therefore, you must constantly remind yourself not to be tainted by even the slightest impurity, and you must never harbor any侥幸 (a sense of luck or chance).

Xie Guangyan immediately replied, "I will definitely keep the secretary's words in mind, practice self-discipline, self-reflection, and self-respect, and focus on my work."

He felt deeply grateful to Lin Xiao.

Because the young new secretary in front of him not only gave him a "second political life," but also pulled him back from the brink of disaster.

Even though he walks carefully on the tightrope, who can guarantee that the tightrope won't break next time?

From that moment on, Xie Guangyan was no longer uneasy, and he decided to follow Lin Xiaogan wholeheartedly.

At that moment, Yang Songfeng's voice came from outside the door, and Xie Guangyan got up to say goodbye.

As soon as he reached the door, he met Yang Songfeng. Xie Guangyan greeted him politely and then left the office.

"Secretary, the Environmental Protection Bureau incident was too sudden. I didn't expect the entire leadership team to have problems. Is it appropriate to only temporarily appoint Xu Wenbo to manage daily affairs? Of course, I personally fully support the rectification work."

The problem is that a large-scale environmental inspection and rectification campaign has already been launched across the district, with heavy tasks and great pressure. The long-term temporary management by the brigade leaders, with unclear titles and responsibilities, and their inability to effectively control subordinates, could easily lead to instability within the team and hinder the progress of the work.

Furthermore, environmental protection is a primary responsibility of the district government. According to convention, when such bureau-level positions are temporarily managed, it is best for the Party and government to communicate in advance and agree on a unified approach.

Therefore, my suggestion is: either clarify the candidates at the meeting as soon as possible, or streamline the division of responsibilities in the short term, to avoid affecting the overall rectification of the district due to undecided personnel.

As soon as he entered, Yang Songfeng started talking non-stop like a megaphone, and then sat down on the sofa as he spoke.

However, to be fair, his reasoning is "flawless".

On the surface, he always spoke from the perspective of the overall work situation, leaving no room for criticism on the procedural aspects, but in reality, he was secretly playing a game of power.

As the second-in-command and a veteran official, he naturally wouldn't directly complain about the lack of prior consultation, which is petty. However, he was actually using the work risks as a pretext to indirectly demand a voice from the government and even pressure Lin Xiaojing to make a decision quickly.

Lin Xiao remained calm, showing no intention of leaving her desk. Instead, she spoke directly to Yang Songfeng on the sofa with composure:

"District Chief Yang, I understand your concerns. However, the incident involving the entire original leadership team of the Environmental Protection Bureau was a sudden occurrence. At the time, the primary goal was to stabilize the situation and ensure uninterrupted work, which is why we adopted the emergency measure of temporary management."

I have clearly defined the boundaries of authority and responsibility. Xu Wenbo is only responsible for daily work, and other important matters must be reported level by level. He will not overstep his authority.

As for formal appointments, they must undergo evaluation and be collectively reviewed by the Standing Committee. For now, the priority is to stabilize the rectification work; personnel procedures can proceed as needed and according to a set schedule.

After saying that, Lin Xiao took a sip of tea and then glanced at Yang Songfeng.

He knew that Yang Songfeng would not let this go so easily.

Sure enough, after a moment's thought, Yang Songfeng continued to argue with a reluctant look in his eyes: "Secretary, I understand what you're saying. But we can't delay the emergency response for too long. The environmental rectification task is heavy, and if someone without an official title is in charge for a long time, the lower-level cadres will inevitably be hesitant."

If the rectification goes wrong, the district will ultimately be held responsible. My suggestion is to shorten the transition period and determine the personnel as soon as possible. We can't keep relying on temporary appointments to handle the district's major affairs.

Lin Xiao smiled slightly, her tone still calm, but she no longer wanted to dwell on this matter.

"I agree with shortening the transition period, but speed does not equate to chaos. The situation in the bureau is complex right now, and the disciplinary committee is still investigating historical issues. Hastily appointing a person in charge at this time could easily create new hidden dangers. We should first stabilize the team and clarify the issues before discussing formal appointments. This is how we are responsible for our work and accountable to our superiors."

At this point, Lin Xiao stared at Yang Songfeng and asked in return, "Since we're on the topic, District Chief Yang, in your opinion, what's the most appropriate arrangement for the Environmental Protection Bureau right now? Is there a suitable candidate to fill the vacancy?"

Yang Songfeng was clearly taken aback.

He came here to gain a voice, without having considered any specific candidates.

After a brief hesitation, he said somewhat nervously, "I don't have a concrete idea of ​​who to choose yet. The Organization Department can sort it out first. However, I still believe that we should select an experienced comrade to serve as the Director of the Environmental Protection Bureau. Comrade Xu Wenbo can be appointed as the Deputy Director."

In fact, his purpose was not to solve the personnel problems of the Environmental Protection Bureau. His only purpose was to use procedural management to make trouble, demand the right to make personnel decisions in the government, and imply that the district committee could not bypass the district government to make decisions on government functions alone, otherwise it would be undermining the overall stability and unity of the team.

Now, Lin Xiao finally saw through his thoughts.

He said calmly, "Okay, I'll consider it."

Yang Songfeng slowly got up and sat down in the chair in front of his desk. He said softly, "Secretary Lin, I did not pay enough attention to environmental protection work before. Now that the district is going to make great efforts to rectify it, I think we should try our best not to affect the legitimate interests of enterprises or the district's investment promotion work. This person is very important. I will pay more attention to and supervise him in the next step."

Lin Xiao said in a deep voice, "Sharpening the axe won't delay the work of chopping wood. If you go astray, the harder you work, the more mistakes you'll make. Strengthening environmental protection and rectification is to pull everyone back from the wrong path."

What does that mean?

Does this mean we're going to completely negate the investment promotion efforts in Zhenxing District?

Yang Songfeng grew increasingly angry, but still managed a forced smile and said, "Secretary Lin, the industrial park is a major taxpayer in the district and has created a large number of jobs. Its economic and social benefits are significant, and it has garnered the attention of the city's leaders."

We cannot negate its positive role simply because problems have arisen. The rectification is ultimately for better development, not to bring the park to a standstill or even shut it down. That would be counterproductive.

Lin Xiao smiled and said, "I agree with this point. We don't deny the achievements of the industrial park, nor do we shy away from its problems. Solving these problems is also to enable the park to bring greater impetus to the economic development of the entire district. Therefore, we must unify our thinking, make every effort to promote the project, and strive to complete the rectification within three months."

Regarding the personnel issue at the Environmental Protection Bureau, I have already communicated with Director Ma of the Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau. Director Ma strongly supports the district's measures and has expressed his full support. I have also spoken with Xu Wenbo, instructing him to proactively seek assistance from the Municipal Bureau if any difficulties arise, and to coordinate resources from various parties.

Yang Songfeng's face darkened completely.

He understood; Lin Xiao was determined to use Xu Wenbo.

It is said that Xu Wenbo was recommended by Fan Shixin, the secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission, which means that Fan Shixin has completely sided with Lin Xiao.

Yang Songfeng reiterated that the work of the entire district should focus on economic development, and that environmental remediation should be carried out in a measured manner, avoiding large-scale actions.

Lin Xiao remained unmoved.

The two parted unhappily.