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

Su Zhe nodded.

Then, in a loud and clear voice, he read out the contents of the instruction, word by word.

"The inspection team's work has been highly effective and deserves commendation. We hope they will continue their efforts! Rectifying work style and combating corruption are inseparable from cracking down on dereliction of duty and other illegal activities. We must persist in our efforts and work diligently to achieve tangible results in the joint inspection and disciplinary action!"

Su Zhe deliberately emphasized the pronunciation of the eight characters "dereliction of duty" and "achieved practical results".

Su Zhe put down the document, his eyes fixed straight ahead.

Beside him.

Xu Ming's gaze was like a knife, piercing straight at Sha Ruijin.

"Secretary Sha, I believe that Elder Sun's instructions are of great significance, insightful and far-reaching, and have a clear and profound impact on our inspection work! They provide fundamental guidance for our future work! I also urge our comrades in Handong to earnestly study and understand their spirit, and truly put it into practice, internalizing it and achieving tangible results!"

Upon hearing this, Sha Ruijin's forehead instantly broke out in a cold sweat. He knew better than anyone that this instruction was a serious warning from Elder Sun about his "muddying the waters" approach.

Gao Yuliang gasped, his hands clenching tightly under the table.

Li Dakang secretly rejoiced that he hadn't gotten involved in Chen Hai's affairs.

Next.

Needless to say.

Sha Ruijin should figure out Chen Hai's situation himself...

These few dozen words of instruction were enough to become a mountain crashing down on his head.

The atmosphere in the conference room had become extremely tense.

Sha Ruijin's face turned from white to green, then from green to black, as if an invisible hand was tightly gripping his throat.

He wanted to say something, but found himself unable to utter a word.

Chen Yanshi, Chen Hai, personal relationships, and the law—all these factors combined at this moment into a noose, tightly around his neck.

Gao Yuliang's eyes flickered as he looked at Sha Ruijin's predicament.

He wanted to say something to smooth things over, but the words stuck in his throat.

Speaking up at this point is tantamount to jumping into the trap yourself.

Li Dakang didn't even look up, his eyes fixed intently on the teacup in front of him.

This tea is real tea, this cup is real tea, this teacup is real teacup...

......

The Standing Committee meeting ended very quickly.

The following meetings proceeded in a routine manner, even becoming somewhat dull. The participants were clearly not engaged, and Sha Ruijin was particularly absent-minded.

The vice governor, who was supposed to be reporting on industrial data, only read for three minutes before quickly ending the presentation.

He noticed that Sha Ruijin, who was sitting in the main seat, seemed rather uncomfortable.

soon.

The meeting of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee has concluded.

When Xu Ming and Su Zhe left the meeting room, almost no one in the entire Standing Committee meeting room dared to breathe loudly.

Old Sun's instruction was short.

But those words weren't directed at Chen Hai; they were directed at the attitude of the Handong Provincial Party Committee.

Sha Ruijin is the one who is most upset.

When he first arrived in Handong, he originally wanted to use his old connection with Chen Yanshi to do him a favor.

The goal is to avoid offending the inspection team too much while still protecting Chen Hai.

The results of it?

Before the favor could even be given, it was slapped back by Old Sun.

......

He returned to his office, and his secretary brought in tea.

Sha Ruijin picked up the glass, didn't drink it, and put it down again.

"Xiao Bai, go and inform Comrade Guo Fu to come over immediately!"

Xiao Bai nodded.

"Yes, Secretary Sha, I'll go right away!"

A dozen minutes later, Tian Guofu pushed the door open and came in.

He still looked a little embarrassed.

What happened at the Standing Committee meeting just now—others can pretend they don't understand, but he can't.

He signed the disciplinary action decision issued by the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection.

This matter has clearly taken a turn for the worse...

"Secretary Sha, you wanted to see me?"

Tian Guofu walked to the sofa but didn't dare to sit down immediately.

Sha Ruijin raised his hand.

"Please sit down."

Tian Guofu then sat down and looked obediently at Sha Ruijin.

Sha Ruijin remained silent for a moment before getting straight to the point.

"Comrade Guofu, the handling of Chen Hai needs to be re-examined."

Tian Guofu nodded immediately.

"I completely agree."

"Old Sun's instructions are very clear: the crackdown on dereliction of duty must be carried out effectively. Our previous handling was indeed too lenient and lenient... which could easily lead to misunderstandings by the inspection team and also by cadres and the masses."

Hearing the word "misunderstanding" made Sha Ruijin feel even more upset.

This is no misunderstanding.

Xu Mingdu read the instructions aloud at the Standing Committee meeting; this is a clear warning.

Sha Ruijin spoke slowly.

"It's not a problem of the inspection team misunderstanding us; it's that we ourselves haven't been strict enough in applying the standards of discipline."

"Yes."

Ok.

"I suggest that the previous admonitory talk be revoked and replaced with a serious warning within the Party. Furthermore, in accordance with cadre management authority, I recommend that the organization department adjust Chen Hai's administrative rank!"

Sha Ruijin frowned.

"To what extent should it be adjusted?"

Tian Guofu hesitated for a moment.

He looked at Sha Ruijin and asked, "Secretary Sha... what do you think? Actually, not making any adjustments is fine..."

To be honest, Tian Guofu still doesn't know what the relationship is between Sha Ruijin and Chen Hai.

What if the punishment I just mentioned is still too severe and makes Sha Ruijin angry?

Forget it, let's just kick the ball back.

Sha Ruijin shook his head.

"Everything is done according to regulations! They found a corrupt official at the level of a department director, causing such a terrible impact and consequences. There are regulations on how to punish him! Besides, Elder Sun's instructions are right there. How can we not take it seriously?"

Hey!

After all that talking, you still haven't explained it clearly...

However, it's not that I don't understand.

If Sha Ruijin didn't want him to punish Chen Hai or demote him, he could have just agreed when Sha Ruijin said it was fine not to punish him.

Now that everything is said to be done according to the rules.

Then I'll... demote him by one level!

While pondering the situation, Tian Guofu said, "Secretary Sha, Chen Hai is currently at the deputy director-general level. Since he bears direct procedural responsibility for the escape of a director-general level official, I believe he can be demoted one level to the division chief level..."

Sha Ruijin paused for a moment as he held the teacup.

Downgraded by one level.

This is no minor punishment.

For a cadre who has already reached the threshold of deputy director-general level, this is tantamount to breaking the step.

But...

If we don't do it this way, who knows what kind of trouble those guys in the inspection team might cause and leave on Old Sun's desk...

If Old Sun's instructions are given directly to me, then I'll be in big trouble...

Sha Ruijin took a deep breath and said, "Okay, let's do it that way!"

Tian Guofu immediately agreed.

"After I return, I will immediately have the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection issue a new disciplinary recommendation for Chen Hai, and then submit it to the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee for approval!"

Sha Ruijin nodded.

"good!"

Then he added another sentence.

"We must be careful with our wording. We cannot let outsiders think that we are acting under pressure from the inspection team, and we must not make contradictory statements."

Tian Guofu nodded quickly.

"Understood. Tell them that after further investigation, Comrade Chen Hai was found to have committed serious dereliction of duty in the management of case information confidentiality and emergency response coordination, resulting in adverse consequences. In accordance with relevant regulations, he is to be given a serious warning and demoted to the level of a division chief."