Official statement: Tongwei is dead! You chose Ruijin, didn't you?

Last night in Handong was destined to be a sleepless night.

After Kong Lingpei poured out all the old stories about the Liang family, this top-secret confession was sent to Lu Chengzhou's desk.

As dawn broke, Governor Liu Ruian sat in his office, sipping warm oatmeal porridge.

While listening to the chief secretary's low report about the events of the previous night, including the taking away of Kong Lingpei from the provincial party committee's archives building and Kong Lingpei.

Liu Ruian put down his spoon, pulled out a tissue to wipe his mouth, and a glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes behind his glasses.

"Secretary Lu and the supervisory team are really going to dig up Liang Qunfeng's ancestral graves," Liu Ruian sighed softly.

The chief secretary asked cautiously, "Governor, what about our side...?"

"We need to add some firewood."

Liu Ruian stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the newly awakened compound of the Handong Provincial Party Committee.

Sha Ruijin was suspended from his post, and Gao Yuliang was in the hospital with a cast on, looking like a mummy. Suddenly, a large section of the political landscape in Handong was left undeveloped.

For Liu Ruian, the second-in-command who has long practiced "Tai Chi skills" and is jokingly called "Clay Bodhisattva," it is now time for him to take action.

What does the new Party Secretary Lu Chengzhou want?

It is about breaking the deadlock, establishing rules, and, more importantly, maintaining overall stability.

While Lu Chengzhou and the supervisory team were wielding knives and killing people in front, Liu Ruian had to stabilize the overall economy of Handong from behind.

"Pass the word down."

Liu Ruian turned around, his voice revealing an unprecedented decisiveness, "At nine o'clock, convene the provincial government's executive meeting."

……

The political climate in Handong is changing daily.

Today, the notice for the provincial government's executive meeting was issued at 7:30 a.m., and the meeting was scheduled to start at 9:00 a.m., but the topic was not specified.

The clichéd essays on "studying the spirit of Secretary Lu's speech," written overnight by the heads of various departments, were still fresh when they were summoned to the provincial government building by an urgent telegram.

The people sitting in the meeting room had no interest in whispering to each other. They sat upright, eyes downcast, their minds pounding: Where is this going to collapse again?

Liu Ruian sat in the main seat. There was no thick stack of speech drafts on the table that could be used as a pillow, only three thin pages.

This made many seasoned veterans feel even more uneasy.

A rule of thumb in officialdom: the thicker the draft, the safer the meeting; you can just doze off while listening. The thinner the draft, the more the leader can improvise, and when they call out names, they'll be ruthless.

Liu Ruian's gaze swept across the entire room, without uttering a single opening remark: "Comrades, today I will only talk about one thing: cadres should lie flat and engage in soft resistance."

One sentence made the temperature in the conference room drop by ten degrees.

"Comrade Sha Ruijin has been suspended from his post, Comrade Gao Yuliang is in the hospital, and I think the thoughts of some comrades in other units have also gone to the ICU. Approvals are not being granted, projects are not being promoted, and documents are not being signed. The reason is very consistent: 'Waiting for the new directives from the Provincial Party Committee.'"

He looked up, his eyes calm yet sharp as a hawk's.

"What is the spirit of the Provincial Party Committee? It's to get you to work, not to pretend you don't know what's going on, and certainly not to play dead!"

Someone below was pretending to take notes, and that was both crude and incredibly true.

Liu Ruian picked up the first page: "Provincial Development and Reform Commission, three major projects were approved yesterday, but you returned them on the grounds of 'further study needed.' I want to ask, what exactly are you studying? Are you studying how to pass the buck further, or how to shirk responsibility even more?"

The director of the National Development and Reform Commission turned pale instantly, his voice hoarse: "Governor, the main issue is the current special situation; we're worried about procedural issues..."

"If you're worried about the procedures, complete them before approving!"

Liu Ruian's voice wasn't loud, but it lashed out like a whip across everyone's faces: "What kind of nonsense is this, going back? Your Development and Reform Commission is the engine of the province's economy, not a brake pad hanging on the back of a car! I think some of you are trying to act as anchors, nailing this big ship, Handong, to the spot!"

The director of the National Development and Reform Commission's face turned a deep shade of liver: "We...we will rectify this immediately."

"Not immediately, but before 5 PM today!"

Liu Ruian showed no mercy, ordering, "Submit three copies of the reasons for the return, the responsible department, and the rectification list to the General Office of the Provincial Government, the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, and the Provincial Party Committee's Inspection Office!"

The room fell silent as soon as he said that.

This isn't reporting materials; it's clearly presenting a charge of wrongdoing!

Liu Ruian didn't even glance at him, and turned to the second page: "Department of Natural Resources".

The director broke out in a cold sweat instantly.

Why have two industrial land parcels in the Eastern New Area of ​​Jingzhou remained undeveloped for over a month?

The director, forcing a smile, explained, "Governor, this land involves some... historical issues. A former leader had already given instructions, but now that the supervisory team is here, we want to wait until things are completely clear before..."

"Which former leader?"

Liu Ruian stared intently at him, his eyes like knives.

The director was speechless; he opened his mouth for a long time, but he didn't dare to utter the surname.

"Can't say it?"

Liu Ruian sneered, "If you can't answer, then follow the current legal procedures! In the past, you'd act if someone put in a good word for you, but now that no one's doing it, you're afraid to act? I don't think this is caution; you're just using past grievances as a shield and inaction as political correctness!"

During the meeting, Tian Guofu drew a heavy circle in his notebook, his face expressionless.

He knew all too well that Liu Ruian was using this as an excuse to expose the Liang family's true intentions and tell everyone that the Liang family could no longer protect anyone!

Liu Ruian pointed to the third unit: "Department of Commerce".

The Director of the Commerce Department broke out in a cold sweat. Just as he was about to grab the microphone, Liu Ruian bombarded him with the question: "Dozens of foreign-invested enterprises have filed a joint complaint, saying that your investment promotion office's phone line is always busy, and your inquiry email address is a black hole. How do you explain that?"

The department head, sweating profusely, stammered, "Governor, recently... recently the morale of our cadres has been fluctuating quite a bit..."

"If the cadres' morale fluctuates, are we going to let billions of dollars in investment fluctuate along with them?"

Liu Ruian finally frowned, slamming the three pages of paper he was holding onto the table. "When you were receiving your salaries, housing allocations, and transportation, why weren't you emotionally affected?!"

Now, no one dared to laugh anymore.

Liu Ruian stood up, his hands gripping the table: "I know what you're afraid of. Afraid of signing, afraid of taking responsibility, afraid of the disciplinary committee coming to your door, afraid of the supervisory team digging up old dirt. Afraid that what you did today will become your crimes tomorrow!"

He paused, then said, word by word, "But I want to tell you, the organization is investigating misconduct, not the performance of duties according to law! Whoever works cleanly and honestly, I, Liu Ruian, and the provincial government will back you up! Anyone who dares to use the name of anti-corruption to shirk their duties will not be tolerated by the people, businesses, or the organization!"

He turned to the director of the general office: "Starting today, we will establish a 'red and yellow card' supervision mechanism for the approval of major projects. If the deadline is exceeded without a valid reason, the first time will result in a yellow card warning; the second time, a red card public reprimand; the third time…"

Liu Ruian turned his gaze to Tian Guofu.

Tian Guofu understood immediately: "The third time, the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection intervened in advance, not to investigate professional issues, but to uncover the underlying ideological, work style, and even corruption problems stemming from laziness and negligence in governance!"

These words struck like a thunderclap in the conference room.

In the past, people were afraid of being investigated by the disciplinary committee for doing too much.

Now, the wind has completely changed. If you don't work, the disciplinary committee will come and investigate you!

After the meeting ended, a group of bureau chiefs walked out of the venue looking like they had lost their souls, their faces increasingly grim.

But the pace of his steps was noticeably faster than a beat.

The director of the National Development and Reform Commission got into his car and his first words were: "Turn around and go back to the office! Notify all division chiefs and deputy division chiefs that no one is leaving get off work on time today!"

The director of the Natural Resources Department was even more ruthless, making a phone call right there in the corridor: "Move all the case files for those two projects in Jingzhou to my office! The heads of the Legal Affairs Division, Planning Division, and Utilization Division must be here within ten minutes! Anyone who says 'wait' again, I'll send them home to wait for retirement!"

This fire burned quickly and fiercely.

When the news reached the provincial party committee, Lu Chengzhou listened to the report, picked up his teacup, blew on the steam, and commented lightly, "Comrade Ruian, this pot of water has finally boiled."

……

Jingzhou Municipal Party Committee Office.

Li Dakang listened to his secretary's report on the provincial government's "red and yellow card mechanism" without saying a word for a long time.

Xiao Jin asked cautiously, "Secretary Li, is this red and yellow card system implemented by the provincial government a good thing for the progress of projects in Jingzhou?"

Li Dakang leaned back in his chair, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "Of course it's a good thing."

That's what he said, but his heart felt like it was stuffed with cotton, making him feel suffocated.

Back in Handong, when it came to developing projects and promoting the economy, Li Dakang was the brightest flag.

He slammed his hand on the table, and the entire capital city had to rush forward.

Liu Ruian's move is tantamount to tying everyone's hands and feet with the rope of "system," telling everyone that from now on, it's not whoever shouts the loudest who has the final say, but the rules.

That's certainly true.

But for a "driver" like him who is used to having the steering wheel welded to his hands, it was a bit of an adjustment to suddenly sitting in the back seat reading the rules and regulations manual.

He picked up the phone and dialed Yi Xuexi's internal line.

"Comrade Xuexi, come to my office."

Half an hour later, Yi Xuexi pushed open the door and came in.

The newly transferred secretary of the municipal discipline inspection commission was like a cold and hard stone. Li Dakang sometimes felt annoyed just looking at him, but he had to admit that this stone was capable of handling things.

"What do you think of the province's red and yellow card system?" Li Dakang asked bluntly.

Yi Xuexi sat down and said succinctly, "Good thing. Jingzhou should have done this a long time ago."

Li Dakang frowned: "You mean, I didn't do a good job before?"

Yi Xuexi looked up at him, his eyes unwavering: "It used to be more efficient, but the risks were also higher. Many projects were driven by the Party Secretary's personal prestige, not by the system. When the Party Secretary was in charge, projects got the green light all the way; but when the Party Secretary was replaced, or when something went wrong, a mess was left behind that no one would take responsibility for."

Li Dakang was so choked up that he couldn't speak for a long time.

That's harsh to say, but it's also very true.

Ding Yizhen, Ouyang Jing, Sun Liancheng... weren't they all parts thrown out by his high-speed bulldozer?

"You take the lead and come up with a method for collective review of major projects in Jingzhou."

Li Dakang took a deep breath, suppressing his displeasure, and said, "Three days."

Yi Xuexi nodded: "Okay. But I want to add a clause to the regulations: the municipal party secretary shall not bypass the collective review process and directly issue personal instructions on specific projects."

The air in the office seemed to freeze instantly.

Xiao Jin next to him stopped breathing, wishing he could turn himself into a calendar on the wall.

Li Dakang stared at Yi Xuexi with eyes like knives.

Yi Xuexi calmly returned the gaze, neither dodging nor flinching.

After a full half minute, Li Dakang finally managed to squeeze out a few words through gritted teeth: "Are you guarding against me?"

"No." Yi Xuexi's answer was unexpected. "It's to protect you, and it's also to protect Jingzhou."

Li Dakang almost laughed in anger.

You tie my hands and feet up and call that protecting me?

But a certain thought told him that Yi Xuexi was right.

Power without boundaries will eventually become a hot potato.

"...Write it in." Li Dakang leaned back in his chair and waved wearily.

Yi Xuexi nodded and stood up. As he walked to the door, Li Dakang suddenly called out to him, "Comrade Xuexi."

Easy to learn and review.

Li Dakang's tone was somewhat muffled: "Next time you talk to me, could you please not be so rough with me like a bathhouse attendant, maybe... be a little gentler?"

Yi Xuexi thought about it seriously: "I'll try my best. But some things, if said too softly, are like farts—useless."

After saying that, he opened the door and left.

Li Dakang leaned back in his chair, feeling a mix of emotions, both amused and exasperated.

……

In the special needs ward of the provincial hospital.

After hearing Wu Huifen recount Liu Ruian's meeting to address the issue of "lying flat" (a Chinese expression for being complacent or passive), Gao Yuliang chuckled softly:

"Liu Ruian, that old mudfish, has finally crawled out of the mud."

Wu Huifen: "Didn't you used to say he was too steady, like a bodhisattva?"

"Bodhisattvas are also divided into two types."

Gao Yuliang's eyes gleamed. "One is genuine compassion, the other is waiting for offerings. He hasn't woken up; he's smelled the bloody scent of the power vacuum left by Sha Ruijin. He's offering his allegiance to Lu Chengzhou."

Just then, there was a knock on the ward door.

Zhou Zhengming pushed open the door and came in with a playful smile on his face, holding a newly printed document in his hand.

"Secretary Gao, the provincial government has started a fire. We've also spotted a spark that's about to spontaneously combust here."

Gao Yuliang raised an eyelid: "Where are you from?"

"There's been a result regarding what you mentioned before."

Zhou Zhengming placed the materials on the bedside table. "Our people verified through the ministry's vertical system that Liang Wenjie's wife's shell consulting company in Shanghai only had five employees paying social security last year, but its annual revenue was 170 million yuan. Among them, the so-called 'risk assessment reports' they did for several real estate projects for Zhao Ruilong cost as much as eight to twelve million yuan per report."

Gao Yuliang smiled: "How's the report? Any insightful observations?"

Zhou Zhengming laughed and shook his head: "Our financial experts reviewed it and commented: 'It's an insult to the printer, a waste of A4 paper, and not even up to the standard of an undergraduate's coursework.' This is a blatant money laundering channel."

Gao Yuliang coughed repeatedly as he listened, his face full of mockery.

"That's right."

He took a breath, his eyes sharpening. "Kong Lingpei was taken away by you last night. Although the news has been blocked, Liang Qunfeng has been operating in Handong for so many years, with informants everywhere. He must have sensed the unease on the outside. Don't rush to raid his safe. Just peel back his skin piece by piece from the outside, making him as anxious as an ant on a hot pan!"

"Some people are already getting anxious."

Zhou Zhengming looked at Gao Yuliang and slowly said something that invigorated him.