19: Chapter 19 Wang Haitao's Pledge of Allegiance

Zhao Desheng took the folder.

He flipped through it nonchalantly.

The first page, the preface summary, was standard.

The second page, the analysis of the leadership team's operations.

A paragraph in black and white stood out:

"This leadership team tends to use administrative orders in place of collective study when making decisions for major projects.

Individual key leaders fail to implement democratic centralism effectively, and the 'top leader' last-to-speak system is not strictly enforced.

In major infrastructure projects like Phase III of the Chengnan High-tech Industrial Park, the lack of sufficient communication and reversed procedures have created hidden dangers, causing concerns among the deputy leaders and leading to a lack of cohesion..."

Zhao Desheng's wrist shook.

His thermos nearly tipped over onto the desk.

What kind of team assessment was this?

This was clearly a direct attack!

If this text were submitted to the Municipal Organization Department's ministerial meeting, the rating for Development and Reform Commission Director Zheng Jianguo would immediately drop to "basically competent" or even worse.

What was even more fatal was that the material explicitly mentioned the Chengnan High-tech Industrial Park.

That was a key project that Mayor Su Changming was keeping a close eye on!

"These... these situations, who reported them?" Zhao Desheng's voice turned sharp.

"They are distilled from the original statements provided by Comrade Wang Haitao, Deputy Director of the Development and Reform Commission, during individual talks."

"Deputy Division Chief Sun from the research team and Comrade Wu Dehai were both present, and there are original interview records and signatures as proof."

Zhao Desheng slumped into his chair.

Secretary Li Changgeng had told him to give Zhu Yuntong a heavy burden, to make him look like a fool.

But this kid, not only did he not look like a fool, he brought back a landmine that could blow a hole in the sky at any moment!

The interview record signed by Wang Haitao had become irrefutable evidence.

Zhao Desheng couldn't suppress this draft, and he didn't dare to.

Suppressing it would mean concealing the true situation at the grassroots level, which was a serious dereliction of duty.

Submitting it—if Mayor Su Changming saw this material, he would definitely skin Zhao Desheng alive.

Borrowing a knife to kill?

Zhao Desheng looked at the young man standing in front of his desk, his posture as straight as a pine.

He suddenly realized that he was the knife.

And the hand holding the knife belonged to this young man before him, who had once been regarded by everyone as a good-for-nothing scion.

"I'll keep this draft," Zhao Desheng waved his hand powerlessly.

"You... go get off work first."

Zhu Yuntong nodded slightly.

He turned and walked toward the door.

When he reached the door, he stopped and looked back, leaving behind a sentence.

"Division Chief, Minister Zhao of the Organization Department spoke with my father some time ago and has his own profound insights on the development of the cadre team."

"This material will surely provide excellent reference for Minister Zhao."

The door closed gently.

A faint "click" sounded like a heavy hammer striking Zhao Desheng's heart.

He understood what Zhu Yuntong meant.

If he suppressed this draft, the next place this material would appear would likely be the Minister's office.

At that time, Zhao Desheng's situation would be far worse than it was now.

---

Municipal Government, Development and Reform Commission, Office of the Deputy Director.

At closing time, people in the government compound left faster than rabbits.

Wang Haitao didn't leave.

He sat behind the large desk, toying with a brass lighter in his hand.

The door was pushed open a crack.

Ma Ming, Chief of the Investment Division, slipped in and locked the door behind him.

He quickly pulled the blinds and walked to the desk.

He took a pack of soft Zhonghua cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out, and handed it to Wang Haitao.

Then he leaned over and lit it for him with the lighter.

"Old leader, when the Organization Department came for research a few days ago, wasn't your speech at the democratic appraisal meeting a bit too radical?" Ma Ming pulled out the chair opposite and sat down, lowering his voice to ask.

Wang Haitao took a deep drag.

He exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.

He had been suppressed by Zheng Jianguo at the Development and Reform Commission for four years.

For these four years, he, the second-in-command, had lived like a transparent person.

"Radical?" Wang Haitao flicked the cigarette ash.

"The knife is already at my neck.

If I don't struggle now, I won't even have the qualification to sit at the table in the future."

Ma Ming looked confused.

"Director Zheng is domineering, but the Chengnan High-tech Industrial Park project is one that Mayor Su Changming is personally overseeing.

By exposing all the procedural violations in front of the Organization Department, you've offended both Director Zheng and Mayor Su.

What if the Organization Department suppresses the material, and Director Zheng realizes what happened? How will we survive in the future?"

Wang Haitao pointed at Ma Ming with the hand holding the cigarette.

"You, you have strong professional skills, but your sensitivity is too poor.

You only see the surface.

Did you notice the young man who was following Deputy Division Chief Sun and taking notes that day?"

Ma Ming recalled.

"The one named Zhu Yuntong?

He looked quite young, isn't he just a new staff member from the Organization Department? He was quite bold at the meeting, daring to interrupt you directly."

"A new staff member?" Wang Haitao stubbed out the half-smoked cigarette in the ashtray and leaned forward.

"That is Mayor Zhu Tianhe's own son!"

Ma Ming's hand shook.

He almost knocked over his teacup.

"Mayor Zhu's son? How did he end up in the Organization Department?"

"That's where people are clever," Wang Haitao leaned back into his chair.

"The provincial government will soon issue a red-headed document.

Mayor Su Changming will take over as Mayor, and Secretary Zhu Tianhe will take over as Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee.

The sky in Linjiang is about to change."

Ma Ming's brain turned rapidly.

He instantly sorted out the stakes.

"If Mayor Su Changming becomes Mayor, Director Zheng, as his loyal subordinate, will only have a more stable position.

Perhaps he will be promoted to Deputy Mayor next year.

By then, I, as the Deputy Director, will only be able to find a leisurely job in the CPPCC or the People's Congress to retire."

"So that's what it is." Ma Ming suddenly realized.

"So you are offering a pledge of allegiance?"

"The Phase III of the Chengnan High-tech Industrial Park, with a 200 million initial budget—Director Zheng bypassed the Party Leadership Group meeting to get special approval.

The Finance Bureau has already blocked the funds.

This shows that Mayor Zhu's side has been eyeing this bad debt for a long time."

"Zhu Yuntong suddenly attacked at the research meeting, pointing out the procedural violations.

Do you think he's a hot-headed youth?

Do you and I know whether this was Mayor Zhu's intention?"

Wang Haitao's voice was low.

"If I don't take this conversation, if I don't submit this pledge of allegiance, when the one surnamed Zheng is investigated in the future and the Discipline Inspection Commission asks about this bad debt, I, the Deputy Director in charge of infrastructure, will also have to shoulder the blame for negligence."

Ma Ming listened, sweating.

"I exposed the fact that Director Zheng was acting arbitrarily at the meeting, just to tell Mayor Zhu: I, Wang Haitao, am willing to be this gun."

"Since Zhu Yuntong dared to ask face-to-face, he will never let this interview record rot in the Organization Department.

That slippery fox Zhao Desheng cannot suppress this material."

Ma Ming understood completely.

"Boss, you are using the power of the Zhu family to pull Director Zheng down.

As long as Director Zheng falls, when it comes to rewarding merit in the future, you will definitely be able to take the top position."

"Give it a shot." Wang Haitao relit a cigarette.

Smoke curled around him, unable to hide the ambition deep in his eyes.

"In officialdom, not taking a stand is the biggest taboo.

Since Director Zheng won't leave me a way to survive, I have no choice but to go to Mayor Zhu's side to find a way out."

---

Night deepened.

Donghu Bay Apartment.

Su Qinghan sat on the sofa, watching Zhu Yuntong just walk in.

"Did you hand in the material?" she asked.

"Handed it in.

Zhao Desheng is probably more anxious than an ant on a hot pan right now."

Su Qinghan handed him a cup of warm water.

"Over at the Development and Reform Commission, Director Zheng called the Finance Bureau five times this afternoon, each time more impatient than the last.

Our bureau chief is holding out and hasn't approved it."

Zhu Yuntong took the cup and took a sip.

"He is anxious because he knows Wang Haitao has defected.

If the funds for the Chengnan project don't arrive, and the construction teams below start making trouble, the matter won't be able to be covered up."

Su Qinghan looked at him.

"Those few words you said at the Development and Reform Commission a few days ago were equivalent to pushing Wang Haitao to the edge of a cliff.

And also giving him a way to live."

"The world is bustling, all for profit." Zhu Yuntong walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.

"Wang Haitao has suffered grievance in the second-in-command position for four years.

As long as you give him a fulcrum, he will pry Director Zheng over himself."

"Once Mayor Su Changming gets the news, he will definitely let Zhao Desheng report the material normally."

Zhu Yuntong's voice was calm.

"He will choose to sacrifice the pawn to save the knight, or punish both sides equally.

But this is just the first step."

In the sixty years of the Great Ming, he had seen enough of the scheming in the imperial court.

Any counterattack cannot just look at the immediate city or pool.

"What do you plan to do next?" Su Qinghan walked to his side.

"Strike the snake at its seven inches.

Since Director Zheng dared to engage in special approvals, there must be benefit transfers behind it."

Zhu Yuntong turned around, his eyes calm and sharp.

"Have you checked the background of the construction company that won the bid for Phase III of the Chengnan High-tech Industrial Park?"

Su Qinghan nodded.

"Checked it.

The legal representative is named Wang Jianguo, a famous local bully in Linjiang City, with a dozen shell companies under his name."

She said firmly.

"Very good." Zhu Yuntong's thin lips parted slightly.

"In the next few days, organize all the capital flows related to Wang Jianguo from the Finance Bureau."

His voice carried a hint of coldness.

"If Mayor Su Changming wants to punish both sides equally to calm things down, we will completely flip the table."

Only silent and subtle layouts, and fatal trump cards.

This is true power strategy.

"Understood," Su Qinghan replied.