In name only, I, Gao Yuliang, will sink Handong at worst.

Sha Ruijin knew it was time to speak up. "I don't agree with Secretary Yuliang's view. Our positions are for serving the people, not for promoting or improving the benefits of cadres nearing retirement. Besides, all positions are the same."

"As for work related to security and stability, I think it's actually possible to handle these tasks concurrently. We can just let the comrades in the main and deputy positions work a little harder. These comrades haven't taken office yet, and we've done a pretty good job!"

No, this is called "not bad". The Dafeng factory had an accident, 20 tons of gasoline, plus it almost resulted in a death.

Upon hearing Sha Ruijin's words, Gao Yuliang couldn't help but glance at him before looking at the other Standing Committee members.

No, is Secretary Sha really that brave? He dares to ignore these unspoken rules, and many of these things are just about doing favors, not giving people positions of real power, but transferring them to the CPPCC and NPC.

They looked at each other, and Tian Guofu quickly gave Sha Ruijin a meaningful look, signaling him not to talk about it.

This is the real Secretary Sha, but he looks more like a greenhorn.

Sha Ruijin found this statement strange. In his view, if it weren't for those old fogies, he could have been promoted much faster. Instead, he continued, "Isn't it still the flood season? There are still several months left. Suspending some appointments is to protect our people from harm. If corrupt officials are placed in unsuitable positions, it will cause even greater harm to the people."

In some places, it's not that corrupt officials or honest officials cause more harm, but rather that the absence of officials causes greater harm.

"The appointments of these 250 cadres are frozen for now! Whether they are vice-ministerial level officials to be recommended to the central government or bureau-level officials to be promoted, they will all be subject to thorough re-examination and extensive consultation with the public before further discussion, following the established cadre appointment procedures!"

Sha Ruijin took the lead and raised his hand.

No, is that right? Usually, when hands are raised, the top leader is always the last to raise their hand and the last to leave the stage. Whether it's Liu Changsheng or Zhao Lichun, you, the new secretary, are raising your hand now, which means you're directly and forcefully campaigning for votes!

This is your first Standing Committee meeting, who dares to contradict you!

Gao Yuliang spoke up: "Since Secretary Ruijin thinks these positions are not urgent, I don't think so. I really don't want to be a firefighter anymore. I don't agree with the suspension of cadre appointments. I firmly oppose it, resolutely obey the provincial party committee's decision, and resolutely implement it."

"I request that the meeting minutes be kept and that we retain the right to report to higher authorities." Gao Yuliang's last sentence was essentially saying, "You agree to this, and whatever the consequences, it's none of my business."

Gao Yuliang took the lead and directly opposed the proposal. Someone opposed Sha Ruijin's first proposal. Wasn't that disrespecting the superiors?

However, since the provincial party secretary and the secretary of the discipline inspection commission had just formed a clique around Gao Yuliang from Hanzhong University of Science and Technology, their opposition was understandable.

"I also object. I will resolutely obey the decision of the Provincial Party Committee and carry it out. I request that the meeting minutes be kept and the right to report to higher authorities be retained." The person who said this was Wu Chunlin.

Everyone's eyes turned to Wu Chunlin. That's right! The person in front of them was the one in charge. These lists had all been reviewed and approved by the Organization Department. If they were really suspended, how would the Organization Department do its work?

Wu Chunlin received a call from Gao Yuliang yesterday. He was not required to take sides with Gao Yuliang; he was simply opposing the freeze on appointments.

"These cadres were selected by the Organization Department after a six-month-long evaluation. Their reputation and achievements are solid. They went through all the interview and evaluation procedures. No matter what, I can't vote in favor of them." If Wu Chunlin were to actually approve, it would be tantamount to admitting that there were problems with the people he had evaluated.

He was unable to cast a vote in favor.

Ma Guangming glanced at Liu Changsheng, who nodded slightly. Ma Guangming then raised his hand in agreement.

Ma Guangming didn't look at Gao Yuliang. Gao Yuliang had helped him a lot, but now he had to give Sha Ruijin face.

Sha Ruijin now has six votes, just one more to secure a majority.

Li Dakang saw that both vice governors had raised their hands, and at that moment Sha Ruijin looked at Li Dakang.

"Secretary Dakang, what's your opinion? In our Handong, Jingzhou has had the most problems since I took office. I think Secretary Dakang must deeply hate those corrupt officials!" Sha Ruijin was openly warning Li Dakang.

Li Dakang also raised his hand. The head of the organization department under his name had problems. Whether the people he was investigating were clean or not was unknown, but he was definitely a target for attack.

The votes have now exceeded half.

Sha Ruijin, Li Dakang, Qian Qingfeng, Wang Zheng, Ma Guangming, Luo Mei, and Tian Guofu all agreed to freeze the order.

"I abstain," said Wang Guangming, the Party Secretary of Luzhou City. He had received Gao Yuliang's notification last night and knew who the 250 people on the list were. A few might be corrupt, but most were unlikely to be.

He directly offended these people. Abstaining from voting might seem like he's not helping either side, but it depends on the situation. Now that he has more than half the votes, if he still abstains, then he's on Gao Yuliang's side, he just hasn't objected yet.

Moreover, he didn't want to take responsibility for any safety issues that might arise.

"I also abstain."

"I also abstain." Lu Kang and Chang Li chose not to take sides when faced with disagreements, and their votes could not affect the final result.

Now that the majority has overwhelmingly favored the other side, the natural choice is to abstain.

Only Liu Changsheng remained silent.

"I also abstain."

Liu Changsheng knew that this appointment was likely the last opportunity for him to promote people on a large scale in his term, and this was his only chance.

He could never agree to that, Yuliang. Why don't you fight for it and directly defeat the top province? I'll definitely be cheering you on from behind.

However, he also understood that this list couldn't be delayed for too long, and there would be other opportunities later.

Sha Ruijin announced directly: "This proposal has been approved by more than half of the Standing Committee members, and I hereby declare it passed. Next, we will proceed with the second proposal."

"We will only vote on the appointment of one comrade—Comrade Zhong Xiaoai, who is proposed to be appointed as a member of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Provincial Procuratorate. I had already spoken with Comrade Ji Changming before the meeting, and he had no objections. Comrade Zhong Xiaoai was sent by the Supreme People's Procuratorate with a special mission to bring important leads to Handong. I suggest that she take up her post and start working before waiting for the official appointment letter!"

"Those who agree, please raise your hands."

Sha Ruijin himself did not expect that the Zhong family would send their daughter to participate. He had just received the notification, and she was Hou Liangping's husband.

Although Hou Liangping is indeed not very good, now that Zhong Xiaoai has stepped in, doesn't that mean the Zhong family is paying more attention to him?

Since the Supreme People's Procuratorate had sent people, how could they object? Therefore, everyone could only raise their hands, and Gao Yuliang also raised his hand for this appointment.

You rejected the appointments of most people and nominated one person alone, namely the head of the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Do you think everyone else is no good, and only you guys from Beijing are good? You like to parachute in all the time! Nobody likes parachuting in, because it takes up their spot.

Gao Yuliang didn't even dare to imagine what Sha Ruijin's reputation would be like.

These two appointments directly demonstrated Sha Ruijin's domineering nature.

The Standing Committee meeting concluded quickly.

The contents of the Standing Committee meeting were immediately leaked. Everyone pays close attention to such meetings, especially since it was the first Standing Committee meeting convened by Sha Ruijin.

Everyone wanted to know what Sha Ruijin was thinking.

Iwata Prosecutor's Office.

Li Chenghui was admitted to the Handong Yantai Procuratorate this year. He heard Tian Guofu say that as many as 40% of the people from Handong University entered the political and legal system, and he even defined the Handong University clique.

Some people couldn't help but say, "No, it's true that I'm from the Department of Political Science and Law at Handong University. My family has been poor farmers for three generations and we don't have any background. In order to get into Handong University, I studied for 16 hours a day in high school. In college, I spent almost every day in the library to pass the bar exam."

"My room contains 243 laws. What's wrong with me entering the Handong civil service system fairly and justly?"

A person next to him quickly chimed in.

"I'm also from the Department of Political Science and Law at Handong University. Back then, we wore uniforms that were distributed for free. There were requirements for hairstyles and everything else, and the arrangement was random. What does it matter?"

"Is it our fault that our political and legal system in Handong is strong?"

"They keep talking about our Han University clique, I'd love to join one myself! I wish I could. Secretary Yuliang is so protective of us, we can't let others look down on us."

"Our Han University group helps each other. Every week, senior students come back to the school to explain specific judgments and precedents. Those seniors also help us. Wouldn't we be considered members of the Han University group? Even Secretary Yu Liang sometimes comes back to give us lectures."

The rest of the people here, who were not from Handong University, were also curious and wanted to know why Handong's Department of Political Science and Law was so outstanding.

"I'm not from Hanzhong University of Science and Technology. Can you tell us why the law department at Hanzhong University of Science and Technology is so strong?"

"Oh, this!"

These people from Handa University directly explained how Handa University cultivates its students: diligence in the college entrance examination, high attendance, strict entry and exit requirements, and the help from various senior students.

"Why is the law department at Hanzhong University of Science and Technology so strict?"

"Handong University has two very strict disciplines: medicine and law. Medicine is about human life, and law is about the most basic fairness, so both are very strict."

Even those colleagues around me, who weren't graduates of Handong University, knew about the university's strict requirements.