Official excuse: I've put you on patrol in Handong, and the whole province is in a panic.

An Xin understood his plan: "They now believe that the inspection team only caught minor figures. Once the two people are brought back, they will respond to public opinion with facts."

Su Zhe said, "That's not enough."

He turned to Yang Hong: "Keep an eye on the online troll platform, find local people in Handong who take orders, don't alarm them for small amounts, trace the settlement accounts upwards."

"clear."

"Check the data that the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission reported to the Provincial Party Committee today to see if the same police incident was counted repeatedly, if voluntary work stoppages were recorded as forced work stoppages, and if the losses caused by the suspension of the construction group's projects were attributed to the inspection team."

An Changlin asked, "Do you suspect that the official report and the online trolls used the same set of materials?"

Su Zhe said, "If the same statements appear on both sides, it means that the person who wrote the report and the person who bought the trending topics may have had the same draft."

The office fell silent as everyone turned their attention back to the trending topics page. The seemingly angry posts from different netizens suddenly revealed the same underlying theme.

Inside the office area of ​​the capital, Mr. Sun was also reviewing the public opinion briefing.

Huang Jiang stood in front of his desk and said, "Old Sun, the Handong Provincial Party Committee has submitted a report stating that the inspection team's work methods in Jinghai were inappropriate, and there is also a lot of criticism online."

Old Sun took off his glasses and asked, "Was it personally reviewed by Sha Ruijin?"

"Yes, the materials listed data on rising police incidents and business shutdowns, and they were written in a very heavy tone."

"What did Su Zhe say?"

"There has been no public response yet. We have only provided internal information that Gao Qiqiang and Xu Jiang have been arrested and are currently being arranged for their extradition."

Old Sun put his glasses back on and turned to the last page of the report: "On the one hand, they say he only arrests small fry, but on the other hand, two big bosses were arrested at the same time. This report was sent far too hastily."

Huang Jiang asked, "Should we ask the relevant departments to suppress public opinion first?"

Old Sun shook his head and said, "Don't move yet. Let me see who is telling the truth and where this public resentment is coming from."

He picked up the red phone, but didn't dial immediately. He simply told Huang Jiang, "Tell Xu Ming that the report can be submitted later, but not a single piece of evidence can be missing."

"clear."

Looking at the words "Su Zhe is young and unworthy of his position" on the screen, Old Sun slowly closed the page with his fingers.

"The fact that someone was in such a hurry to get rid of him means that what's buried beneath Jinghai is deeper than we thought."

Inside the capital's office area, Mr. Sun flipped back to the first page of the materials submitted by Sha Ruijin. The bolded text below the title was particularly eye-catching: "Police incidents in Jinghai have increased by 40%, twelve companies have suspended production, and more than 20,000 people have been affected." Each item was accompanied by the seal of the Handong Provincial Party Committee and the source of the data.

Huang Jiang stood in front of the table and, seeing that Old Sun hadn't turned the page yet, reminded him, "Old Sun, Team Leader Xu just replied that Gao Qiqiang and Xu Jiang have been apprehended and the extradition procedures are underway. The working group hasn't made any public announcements yet."

Old Sun circled the number 20,000 with his pen, looked up and asked, "Catching the people is one thing, but the cost to the local government is another. Has Su Zhe explained why these businesses stopped operating?"

"He only had people verify the data; he hasn't submitted a formal explanation yet."

"Sha Ruijin is a provincial party secretary; he wouldn't send a completely unsubstantiated report to the capital." Old Sun pushed the report onto the table, his finger landing on the data sheet provided by the Jinghai Municipal Party Committee: "After Su Zhe arrived in Handong, he criticized him on the spot for his airport reception, he kept an eye on Chen Hai for disciplinary action, and he publicly named Hou Liangping. Now that he's gone to Jinghai, he's excluded the local public security bureau from the core operation. Isn't he moving too fast?"

Huang Jiang didn't respond to that, but simply moved his teacup forward a little: "Old Sun, the tea's gone cold, let me get you a fresh cup."

"Don't change it." Old Sun leaned back in his chair. "I was asking about Su Zhe, not the tea."

There was a knock at the door, and Sun Zhaolin walked in carrying a briefing on public opinion. He first greeted Old Master Sun, and then put the materials on the desk: "The situation online has changed again. The topic criticizing the inspection team has entered the top five trending searches, and the number of views is still rising."

Old Sun opened the briefing: "Natural fermentation, or was someone pushing it?"

Sun Zhaolin elaborated on the dissemination pattern: "Judging from the publicly available information, there was centralized release and batch forwarding, and multiple accounts used similar materials, which suggests that someone was guiding the dissemination behind the scenes. However, the fact that the public opinion could spread to this scale also indicates that some of the content resonated with public concerns."

What are the public's concerns?

"Businesses are closed, enterprises are shut down, and there's also Comrade Su Zhe's age." Sun Zhaolin pointed to one of the pages: "Many posts questioned the lack of local experience for a 28-year-old deputy director-level cadre, believing that he used Jinghai as a place to prove his personal abilities."

Old Sun picked up his glasses cloth, wiped them halfway, then put them back on the table: "Zhaolin, you've been with me for many years, I want to hear the truth. Was my mentoring of Su Zhe too forceful?"

Sun Zhaolin moved his chair back a little, not in a hurry to sit down: "Comrade Su Zhe is capable and has an impressive resume. He has achieved results in overseas postings and case handling, and the organization has no doubt about that."

"I'm asking about the pace of promotions."

"Young cadres move quickly and inevitably lack experience in local governance." Sun Zhaolin carefully chose his words: "Inspection and case handling emphasize discipline and efficiency, while local governance also needs to consider employment, stability, and people's lives. He used to have more experience with the former and less with the latter. When he encounters a place like Jinghai where long-standing problems are concentratedly exposed, he needs an adaptation process."

Old Sun looked at him: "You mean, he has the ability, but not the experience?"

"Cadres must grow through experience; no one can be proficient in everything as soon as they take a position."

"That sounds plausible, but it doesn't answer my question."

Sun Zhaolin smiled and said, "If you ask me to be honest, I can only say that Su Zhe is worth cultivating. As for whether it's too early to be promoted to deputy director level, it would be more appropriate to evaluate him after the Jinghai incident is over."

Old Sun put his glasses back on and flipped through the public opinion briefing page by page: "You manage to offend no one. If Su Zhe succeeds, you can say that you have always believed in him. If Su Zhe has problems, you also reminded him of the lack of experience at the grassroots level."

Sun Zhaolin did not offer any explanation, only saying, "I am in charge of the General Office's work, and I cannot draw conclusions for any cadre before all the evidence is complete."

"That's true." Old Sun raised his hand and pointed at Sha Ruijin's report: "But the Handong Provincial Committee has already concluded that improper work led to prominent contradictions. Those eight words are quite strong."

Huang Jiang said, "Sha Ruijin's report was completed too quickly. The news of Gao Qiqiang and Xu Jiang's arrest had not yet reached the provincial party committee, so the materials he saw were incomplete."

"The materials are incomplete, who is responsible?" Old Sun looked up at Huang Jiang: "Su Zhe is the head of the working group. With such strong opinions arising locally, why didn't he communicate in a timely manner? Why did he make the provincial party secretary get the information from the Jinghai Municipal Party Committee?"

Huang Jiang took back what he was about to say: "Your criticism is correct."

Sun Zhaolin turned to the last page of the public opinion briefing: "There is another situation. The same set of work stoppage data appeared multiple times in the content attacking Su Zhe. It is completely consistent with the figures in the report of the Handong Provincial Party Committee, and even the statistical methods are the same."

Old Sun's pen, which was circling something, paused on the paper: "When was the provincial party committee's report submitted?"

"The report was officially submitted this evening, but the first batch of posts appeared online even earlier."

"The same set of data appeared online first, but the official report came later?"

That's how it seems at the moment.

Huang Jiang immediately said, "This shows that the person who bought the trending search results got the drafts from the Jinghai Municipal Party Committee or the Provincial Political and Legal Committee in advance. Some people in the local area were submitting materials to the Provincial Party Committee while organizing public opinion to attack the inspection team."

Old Sun closed the briefing: "It shows that someone manipulated the data, but it doesn't mean the data in the report is fake, and it certainly doesn't absolve Su Zhe of his work responsibility."

Huang Jiang nodded: "I'll have someone investigate the source of the transmission and the payment chain immediately."

"Don't let the General Office get involved directly. Transfer it to the department with the authority, and make sure all the paperwork is done." Old Sun looked at Sun Zhaolin: "Zhaolin, assuming the data is true, should Su Zhe be transferred back?"

Sun Zhaolin tidied up the documents on the table: "If the local order continues to deteriorate due to the way the work is done, the organization will of course make adjustments. If the chaos was created by local forces to force the inspection team to retreat, then transferring Su Zhe back would be tantamount to giving in to interference with the inspection."

"So the key is still the evidence."

"Yes, we need to see who created the chaos, and we also need to see if Su Zhe can control the situation."

Old Sun got up and walked to the window. The office area was already lit up, and the report in his hand was faintly reflected in the glass: "I used to worry that he was overthinking things, so I told him to act when necessary. Looking back now, I may have been too harsh."

Huang Jiang followed to the side of the desk: "Su Zhe always plans things out. He disposed of the twenty tons of gasoline at Dafeng Factory in advance. There were no deaths during the arrest in Jinghai. He might have a backup plan."

"Just because he did things right before doesn't mean he'll do it right this time too." Old Sun turned around and said, "The worst thing in training cadres is to only look at their strengths. He's had it too easy with me and Xu Ming protecting him all the way. He needs to experience setbacks."

Sun Zhaolin asked, "What do you mean?"

"Have the inspection office prepare two plans." Old Sun sat down again: "The first plan is that if the situation in Jinghai can be stabilized within the time limit, Su Zhe can remain in Handong, but he needs to submit a complete explanation and accept the organization's evaluation."

"What about the second set?"

"If the number of police reports continues to rise, businesses are shut down for an extended period, and people's lives are substantially affected, we'll bring him back to cool things down before sending him to work at the grassroots level."

Huang Jiang asked, "Where will I be transferred to?"

"Let's not decide yet. He can go to the county or the municipal discipline inspection commission. Give him two or three years to learn how to deal with local officials." Old Sun put Sha Ruijin's report aside. "His deputy director-level status can be retained, but his job position can be reassigned. We can't let him think that he has connections and can do whatever he wants without paying the price."

Huang Jiang tried to persuade him further: "Should we hear Team Leader Xu's report first?"

"Of course we have to listen." Old Sun picked up the red phone: "Tell Xu Ming that I'm only giving Jinghai three days. Within three days, they must produce evidence and stabilize the situation. Otherwise, the special inspection team's work will be suspended, and Su Zhe will return for questioning."

Sun Zhaolin took the notebook: "Should this sentence be put into writing?"

Old Sun thought for a moment and said, "Let's communicate verbally first, without sending it to Handong or letting Su Zhe know that I set the deadline."

Huang Jiang asked, "Why didn't you tell him?"

"I want to see if he can judge the situation as it is without my reminder." Old Sun dialed Xu Ming's number, his gaze returning to the report: "True gold fears no fire, but if what is revealed is merely gilding, I cannot use organizational principles to cover for him just because I owe his father a life."

After the call connected, Old Sun only said one sentence: "Xu Ming, I'm starting to worry about things in Jinghai."

In the office of the Jingzhou Municipal Party Committee, Xiao Jin placed the tea in front of Zhao Ruilong. Zhao Ruilong smelled it first, then smiled and said, "Secretary Dakang, the tea here is even better than the tea my father drank at the Provincial Party Committee back then."

Li Dakang didn't touch the teacup, but only looked at the briefcase he had placed next to the sofa: "Ruilong, you came all the way from Luzhou to Jingzhou, not just for tea evaluation. If the old leader has any instructions, just say them."

"Secretary Dakang is still the same as always; he's busy with work and values ​​time more than money."

"You know I'm busy, so don't beat around the bush."

Zhao Ruilong put down his teacup: "My dad heard that Ouyang Jing was taken away by the Provincial Procuratorate and didn't sleep well all night. He's been worried that this matter will implicate you."

Li Dakang stopped reading the document, not turning the page: "Ouyang Jing is my ex-wife. I am unaware of her issues. I support the judicial authorities in handling the case according to the law."

"Your support is commendable, but Hou Liangping's act of stopping your car at the airport was unethical."

"The person in the car was Ouyang Jing, not me."

"Many people in Jingzhou recognize car number one. Once word gets out, people won't just look at who's in the car." Zhao Ruilong leaned forward. "My dad asked me to pass on a message: Gao Yuliang has connections in the provincial procuratorate and the political and legal system. If you give your approval, he's willing to step in and help Ouyang Jing suffer less."

Li Dakang looked up at Zhao Ruilong and said, "I appreciate your concern, but we cannot interfere in Ouyang Jing's case."

"Of course it's not interference, it's just understanding the situation in accordance with the law."

"Ruilong, you and I both know what those words mean." Li Dakang closed the file. "I'll remember this favor. That's all for now."

Zhao Ruilong smiled and picked up his teacup: "It's good that Secretary Dakang knows what's going on."

"Let's get down to business now."

"Ouyang Jing's matter is also a serious matter."

"You've come here carrying messages from our former boss, not just for my ex-wife." Li Dakang waved to Xiao Jin, and only continued after the secretary left the office and closed the door, "What do you want me to do?"

Zhao Ruilong did not answer immediately, but first took out a thin document from his briefcase: "I heard that Zhao Donglai is currently investigating Shanshui Manor. People from both the Economic Investigation and Public Security departments of the Municipal Bureau are checking the data."

Li Dakang glanced at the materials but didn't reach out: "The public security organs are doing their normal work, I won't interfere."

"Chengdu was just taken away by the inspection team, and Zhao Donglai was promoted to vice mayor. You must know what he's doing now."

Are you questioning the Party Secretary?

"I don't have the guts to do that." Zhao Ruilong took the materials back. "I just wanted to clarify a misunderstanding for Secretary Gao. Ouyang Jing's arrest has nothing to do with the Han University gang."

Li Dakang tapped his fingers on the document cover a few times: "Hou Liangping is Gao Yuliang's student and Qi Tongwei's classmate. His first big move after arriving in Handong was to snatch Ouyang Jing from my car. Do you expect me to believe there's no connection here?"