18: Chapter 18 The task assigned by Director Zhao

Monday morning. Municipal Organization Department, Division Two conference room, routine weekly meeting.

Division Chief Zhao Desheng walked into the conference room, carrying his signature thermos.

Old Sun, Wu Dehai, and a few young staff members all looked up.

Division Chief Zhao Desheng sat down.

"We have a tough battle next week," Division Chief Zhao Desheng cleared his throat. "It's the mid-term assessment of the Municipal Development and Reform Commission leadership team. Old Sun, you lead the team, and Old Wu will be the main force."

He shifted his tone, his gaze landing in the corner: "Little Zhu, you go too. After this investigation is over, you will be responsible for writing the first draft of the team's profile. Young people need to take on more responsibilities to learn the ropes quickly."

The conference room fell silent. Wu Dehai's hand, holding his pen, froze in mid-air.

The Director of the Development and Reform Commission, Zheng Jianguo, was a man of real power in Linjiang City, famous for protecting his subordinates and being a dictator.

Asking a newcomer who had just joined a month ago to write a profile for someone of that level?

Write it too lightly, and it wouldn't pass the department's material review, being dismissed as superficial.

Write it too heavily, and Zheng Jianguo wouldn't agree, and he could report it to the Municipal Party Committee leaders at any time.

This wasn't 'taking on responsibilities'; it was pushing someone into a meat grinder!

Division Chief Zhao Desheng was carrying out the task assigned by Secretary Li Changgeng, calm and collected.

Everyone was waiting to see how this young man with a 'mysterious background' would handle it.

Evasion? Complaining? Or making an excuse to take leave?

Zhu Yuntong raised his head.

"Okay." He only said one word.

No bargaining, not even a word of extra pleasantries.

The corners of Division Chief Zhao Desheng's eyes twitched. The kid agreed too readily, which actually made him feel a bit uneasy.

"Fine, then Little Zhu, thank you for your hard work. I want to see the first draft before you leave next Friday."

Night fell. Donghuwan Apartment.

The burnt fragrance of scallion oil wafted from the kitchen. Su Qinghan, wearing a beige home-style knit sweater, brought two steaming bowls of scallion oil noodles to the dining table.

Zhu Yuntong washed his hands, pulled out a chair, sat down, and picked up a pair of chopsticks.

"Mayor Su Changming has started using a borrowed knife to kill."

"The Development and Reform Commission job?" Su Qinghan untied her apron and sat opposite him.

She worked in the Treasury Division of the Finance Bureau, so she heard the movements within the Municipal Party Committee compound clearly.

"Division Chief Zhao Desheng letting you write the profile for Zheng Jianguo is a blatant scheme. Once the materials are submitted, no matter how light or heavy, you will offend someone."

"What kind of person is Zheng Jianguo?" Zhu Yuntong didn't take the bait, asking instead about his opponent.

In the ming dynasty, when handling cases, one first investigated the enemy general's background.

"Arrogant and greedy for credit," Su Qinghan tapped the table. "Mayor Su has instructed the Finance Bureau to withhold a sum of money from him for the past two days. It's the first-phase budget of 200 million for the third phase of the Chengnan High-tech Industrial Park earthwork project. Zheng Jianguo has called three times in one day to urge the allocation."

"What's the rush?"

"There's still some time before Mayor Su Changming officially takes office. Zheng Jianguo is anxious to finalize this deal as the 'opening success' project for Mayor Su's tenure," Su Qinghan sneered.

"But the problem is, this money is being processed through Zheng Jianguo's 'Director's Special Approval.' The Executive Deputy Director, Wang Haitao, didn't sign the fund application form at all."

Zhu Yuntong's hand holding the chopsticks paused in mid-air.

There were five directors in the Development and Reform Commission, one head and four deputies. If the head monopolized all the power and didn't even leave a drop of soup for the second-in-command, this team was like a leaky sieve.

"Wang Haitao not signing isn't just because he's unwilling to endorse it; it's because he doesn't dare to take the blame," Zhu Yuntong swallowed the noodles.

This tactic was exactly the same as the method used by the ming dynasty Censorate when sending censors to inspect local areas.

First check the ledgers, then ask the subordinates. To save their own skins, how could the subordinates not sell out their superior?

"What Wang Haitao lacks is someone to light the fire," he put down his chopsticks.

Su Qinghan watched him strategizing and poured him a cup of warm water.

"You want to tear an opening through Wang Haitao? Those old foxes in the Development and Reform Commission have very tight lips; discussions and investigations are always just for show."

"Tight?" Zhu Yuntong took the cup. "That's only because it hasn't touched their core interests yet."

Wednesday. Municipal Development and Reform Commission building, a temporarily vacated conference room on the third floor.

Deputy Division Chief Old Sun sat in the middle, Wu Dehai was responsible for the main questioning, and Zhu Yuntong sat to the side taking notes.

Individual interviews went on all morning.

Several deputy directors and section chiefs of the Development and Reform Commission took turns, their words all read from scripts.

"Director Zheng has great drive and is politically savvy in his work."

"Our team is very united and has strong combat effectiveness."

"The existing problems are mainly that theoretical study needs to be further deepened..."

It was all empty talk. Wu Dehai yawned while listening, doodling circles on his notebook. This kind of investigation was just a formality to go back and finish the job.

At 2:30 PM, Executive Political Commissar Wang Haitao pushed the door open and entered.

Wang Haitao was in his early fifties, with a receding hairline and a look of gloom from years of being suppressed.

He sat down in his chair, cleared his throat habitually, and prepared to start his set of rehearsed clichés.

"Hello, leaders. Over the past year, under Director Zheng's leadership, our Development and Reform Commission..."

"Deputy Director Wang."

Zhu Yuntong suddenly spoke up, interrupting the other's endless stream of nonsense.

He closed the questionnaire with the standardized outline and looked up, staring directly at Wang Haitao.

"The feasibility study report for the third phase of the Chengnan High-tech Industrial Park earthwork project seems to have never been discussed by the Party Leadership Group?"

As soon as the words fell, the atmosphere in the conference room suddenly became heavy.

Old Sun turned his head sharply, and the pen in Wu Dehai's hand dropped directly onto the table.

This was absolutely not in the interview outline! Investigating project violations was the job of the Discipline Inspection Commission and the Audit Bureau; for the Organization Department to ask about this, it was a serious overstep!

Wang Haitao, who had been leaning back in his chair, instantly straightened up.

"The Organization Department is here today for a mid-term assessment of the leadership team, not to audit the books, right?" Wang Haitao's tone was extremely unpleasant, carrying the pressure of a municipal-level executive deputy.

Zhu Yuntong met his gaze, his posture not changing in the slightest.

"The Regulations on Cadre Assessment clearly state that the decision-making procedure for major projects is a core indicator for evaluating the team's implementation of democratic centralism," Zhu Yuntong crossed his fingers and placed them flat on the table.

"Director Zheng got a 'special approval,' and the Treasury Division of the Finance Bureau has blocked the funds. If the Discipline Inspection Commission investigates this mess later, which meeting minutes do you, the Executive Deputy Director in charge of infrastructure approval, intend to use to prove your innocence?"

Wang Haitao's mouth half-opened, the anger he was about to unleash stuck in his throat.

He had been hit in his Achilles' heel.

Zheng Jianguo, relying on Mayor Su Changming's backing, was forcing the third-phase project through, completely disregarding procedural compliance.

He, Wang Haitao, hadn't signed to protect himself, but if something really went wrong, the leader in charge would absolutely not escape a charge of 'dereliction of duty'.

Silence. A long silence.

Old Sun kicked Zhu Yuntong's foot under the table desperately, but Zhu Yuntong acted as if he hadn't noticed.

Wang Haitao picked up the paper cup on the table and took a large gulp of the now cold tea. He put down the cup, and his expression changed.

The original resistance disappeared, replaced by the resolution that comes after weighing the pros and cons.

The enemy of an enemy is an ally. Today, this greenhorn from the Organization Department daring to point out the problem gave him the perfect opportunity to clear his own name.

"Young people nowadays see problems very keenly," Wang Haitao let out a long sigh.

"For that project in Chengnan, the project proposal bypassed me and was sent directly to the Director's Office Meeting to set the tone. Director Zheng has his own 'big picture' and 'special channels' when doing things. We deputies sometimes really can't keep up with his rhythm, let alone get a word in."

Old Sun's breath hitched.

These words were too heavy.

'Bypassing procedures,' 'special channels,' 'can't get a word in.' Translated into organizational language, it meant: the head of the unit is arbitrary, undermines democratic centralism, runs a dictatorship, and even potentially involves the transfer of benefits.

Where was this still an interview record about team unity? This was a signed report of misconduct!

Zhu Yuntong reopened his notebook, uncapped his fountain pen, and wrote the first line on the blank paper.

"Please go on. We are recording in detail."

Friday afternoon, near the end of the workday.

Division Chief Zhao Desheng was sitting in his office, looking at his phone calendar while calculating where to spend his time that evening.

The investigation of the Development and Reform Commission had ended. According to the rules, the material was due next Monday.

He was waiting to see what kind of weak and powerless first draft Zhu Yuntong could write, so he could take the opportunity to ruthlessly criticize this newcomer who didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth at the division meeting, and by the way, submit a 'letter of allegiance' to the newly appointed Mayor Su.

There was a knock at the door. Two knocks, steady rhythm.

"Come in."

Zhu Yuntong pushed the door open and entered, holding a blue plastic folder. He walked to the desk and handed the folder over.

"Division Chief, the first draft of the mid-term assessment profile for the Development and Reform Commission leadership team is finished. Please review it."