Nominal: Hou Liangping blocking the door? He was slapped away!

It was exactly 9:00 AM.

The two heavy mahogany doors of the meeting room of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee of Handong were silently closed from the outside by the staff.

The dull slam of the door closing signaled complete isolation from the outside world.

Beside the huge oval mahogany conference table, twelve figures took their seats in order of their respective rankings.

An invisible solemnity permeated the air.

Provincial Party Secretary Zhao Lichun sat in the central seat.

He pressed the microphone switch in front of him, and a red indicator light lit up.

"Comrades, let's begin the meeting."

His voice was clearly amplified and carried to every corner of the conference room.

Before we discuss today's main topics, I'd like to report something.

"Comrade Zhu Jichang, former secretary of the Lüzhou Municipal Party Committee, has been placed under investigation for serious violations of discipline and law."

Zhao Lichun's tone was calm, revealing no personal emotion.

However, the words "serious violation of discipline and law" still sent a chill down the spines of some people present.

"This incident is egregious in nature and has had a very negative impact, tarnishing the image of our cadre team in Handong."

"I hope that all of you here will take this as a warning."

"Upon returning, it is imperative to strengthen the development of the cadre team and ideological education in each of your respective areas of responsibility, and prevent such incidents from happening again."

After delivering a few bureaucratic sentences, Zhao Lichun picked up the official document on the table and put it aside.

He leaned back and adjusted his posture.

"Alright, let's move on to today's main agenda."

"Zhu Jichang has run into trouble, but the work in Lüzhou cannot stop."

"The provincial party committee standing committee must also be complete."

"Today, we will discuss and decide who will take over the important position of Party Secretary of Lüzhou City."

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the conference room became even more tense.

Everyone knew that the real show was about to begin.

Zhao Lichun didn't give anyone a chance to interrupt and directly announced the person he had already chosen.

"Regarding the selection of a successor, I have a personal suggestion."

"The current mayor of Lüzhou City is Comrade Qian Shouyi."

He opened another document to his side and began to read it aloud.

"During his tenure as mayor of Lüzhou, Comrade Qian Shouyi worked diligently and conscientiously."

"Especially in economic development, the achievements are remarkable."

Last year, Luzhou's GDP exceeded 800 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 9.2%, ranking second in the province.

"Fixed asset investment reached 350 billion yuan, and industrial added value..."

Zhao Lichun read out a long string of impressive economic data at a leisurely pace.

These figures are Qian Shouyi's strongest asset for promotion, and also the ammunition Zhao Lichun used to silence everyone.

After finishing his statement, he closed the document.

I picked up the teacup beside me and took a sip of warm water.

This gesture exudes a sense of complete control and composure.

He put the cup back in its place and looked around the room.

That's my opinion.

"Now, let's hear from the other comrades as well."

A brief silence fell over the meeting room.

Secretary-General Chen Huai, who was sitting to Zhao Lichun's left, and Zhou Guichun, the secretary of the Lincheng Municipal Party Committee, and others tacitly opened their notebooks.

They planned to follow the script agreed upon at the small meeting, taking turns to speak and cheer for Qian Shouyi's rise to power, so as to quickly finalize the matter.

However, just as Chen Huai was about to press the microphone button...

Shen Zhong casually placed a black notebook beside him, then looked up at Li Dakang across the long conference table.

He didn't say anything, and his face remained expressionless.

Yet, this calm gaze carried immense weight, pressing down heavily on Li Dakang's nerves.

A fine layer of cold sweat instantly seeped from Li Dakang's forehead.

In my mind, the bloody scene of Cheng Du being blown out of the head on the spot at the Guangming District Police Station that night flashed through my mind once again.

That gunshot, that scalding blood, that deformed medal...

And then there was Shen Zhong's cold remark.

"Secretary Li, would you like to try being accused of treason?"

His breathing began to quicken.

The members of Zhao's troupe noticed the strange atmosphere and all turned their inquisitive gazes toward Li Dakang.

"drop."

A soft sound.

The sound was particularly jarring in the quiet conference room.

Li Dakang raised his slightly trembling right hand and pressed the microphone activation button in front of his seat.

The red light is on.

Li Dakang sat up straight.

He didn't look at Shen Zhong, nor at his bewildered colleagues.

He stared directly at Zhao Lichun, who was in the main seat.

"Secretary, comrades."

His voice was a little hoarse, but every word he spoke was exceptionally clear.

"I personally disagree with the proposal to appoint Comrade Qian Shouyi as the Secretary of the Luzhou Municipal Party Committee."

These words shocked everyone present.

Chen Huai, Zhou Guichun, and the others were all stunned.

They couldn't believe their ears.

Has Li Dakang gone mad?

How dare he be the first to jump out and openly contradict others at the Standing Committee meeting?

Zhao Lichun stopped moving; his hand, which was about to pick up the teacup, froze in mid-air.

He looked at Li Dakang, his brows slowly furrowing, but he didn't immediately lash out.

Ignoring the astonished reactions of the crowd, Li Dakang continued speaking to himself.

"I do not deny Comrade Qian Shouyi's ability to manage the economy."

"But as a municipal party secretary, what is needed is the ability to take overall control, not just a mayor who understands economics."

"From what I understand, environmental pollution in Luzhou has become increasingly serious in recent years."

"In particular, the ecological damage to Crescent Lake Wetland has prompted the Provincial Environmental Protection Department to issue multiple letters urging rectification, but the rectification plan of the Luzhou Municipal Government has been slow to be implemented."

"The development of a region cannot prioritize economic prosperity over environmental protection."

"From this point of view, I think Comrade Qian Shouyi does not yet have the overall perspective and long-term vision required to take over as the leader."

These words were well-reasoned and hit Qian Shouyi right where it hurt.

Zhao Lichun's knuckles tightened as he gripped the teacup.

A slight ripple appeared on the surface of the water in the glass.

He didn't expect that Li Dakang would be the first to stand up against him.

"So, Comrade Dakang, do you have a better candidate?"

Zhao Lichun's voice had taken on a cold tone.

Li Dakang seemed not to have noticed.

He bent down and pulled a document from his briefcase.

It was a neatly bound, detailed report that was clearly prepared in advance.

He placed the report on the table.

"Secretary, I do have someone I'd like to recommend to the organization."

"Comrade He Xia, Secretary of the Hexi District Committee of Jingzhou City."

Everyone was stunned.

He Xia?

How could a district party secretary be directly promoted to a member of the provincial standing committee and then a municipal party secretary?

Zhao Lichun's pupils suddenly contracted.

He finally understood that Li Dakang wasn't just contradicting him; he was rebelling!

Li Dakang did not pause; he opened the report and began to read it aloud point by point.

"Since Comrade He Xia took charge of Hexi District, she has vigorously implemented a series of reforms to improve people's livelihoods."

"In particular, the 'Hexi District Underground Pipeline System Renovation Project,' which she spearheaded, leveraged nearly 10 billion yuan of social investment with a budget of one billion yuan."

"This project not only completely solved the long-standing problem of waterlogging in Hexi District, but more importantly, it greatly optimized the local business environment."

According to the latest statistics from the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, more than 50 high-tech enterprises chose to settle in Hexi District in the last quarter alone.

"It is estimated that in the next three years, it will bring more than 30 billion yuan in direct economic benefits and tens of thousands of jobs to Hexi District and even the entire Jingzhou City."

Li Dakang's voice echoed in the conference room.

Every number he read out was like a resounding slap in the face to all those who believe in GDP above all else.

He used the economic data he believed in most to prove the immense value of a project that benefits people's livelihoods.

Finally, he closed the report and looked up.

"I believe that Comrade He Xia not only has the courage and sense of responsibility, but also the outstanding ability to coordinate complex situations and promote substantive development."

"She is the most suitable person to go to Luzhou right now to clean up the mess and create a new situation."

The entire conference room was deathly silent.

Zhao Lichun put down his teacup, the bottom of which collided with the table with a dull thud.

He looked at Li Dakang, his eyes, which always carried an air of authority, now filled with icy coldness.

His voice was terrifyingly low.

"Comrade Dakang, is this a suggestion you've given after careful consideration?"