50: Chapter 50: The Operation Deployment Contains Hidden Clues

The supervision mobilization meeting was personally hosted by Tongan Municipal Party Committee Secretary Ji Hongwen, and Xie Guanlan, Vice Secretary of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, gave the mobilization speech.

When Ji Hongwen finally spoke, his voice suddenly rose:

“We must have the courage to scrape the bone to treat the poison and resolutely fight against all phenomena of corruption!”

His words were impassioned and powerful.

It seemed as if he were irreconcilable with bribery and corruption.

Zhao Yang listened from below the stage, cold laughter echoing in his heart.

This kind of meeting was all about formality; next, they would release news in the media and announce a reporting hotline.

It was mainly to let the leaders pay attention and the people know.

What Zhao Yang cared about most was the division of labor for each group and the targets of the supervision.

After the meeting ended, Xie Guanlan refused the Tongan Municipal Committee's invitation to a banquet and drove straight back to Jiangzhou.

Ji Hongwen and Tian Hao, the two top leaders of the party and government, both looked embarrassed.

In the past, after higher-level leaders finished a meeting, they would stay for at least half a day of investigation.

The so-called investigation was just arranging two research sites for a cursory look.

The rest of the time, besides eating and drinking, was spent visiting scenic spots.

Ji Hongwen and Tian Hao glanced at each other, both sensing a different atmosphere than usual.

Both simultaneously turned their gaze toward Lu Zheng, the Executive Deputy Leader of the supervision group.

“Leader Lu, to better cooperate with the supervision work, we must report our thoughts to you tonight. The location is set at the Linjiang Hall of the Tongan Grand Hotel.”

Having worked in discipline inspection for many years, Lu Zheng naturally knew that Ji Hongwen's so-called “reporting thoughts” was just an invitation to dinner.

“Secretary Ji is too polite,” Lu Zheng's voice was gentle and polite.

“Eating buffet at the hotel during the supervision period is a matter of discipline. Please understand.”

Lu Zheng was known as the “Smiling Tiger”; no fewer than double-digit officials in Jianghan Province had fallen at his hands.

His refusal was understated but left no room for negotiation.

The smile on Ji Hongwen's face froze for a moment before returning to normal:

“Very well, whatever the supervision group needs, Tongan City will resolutely ensure it is in place.”

Tian Hao calmly took over:

“Leader Lu Zheng, the government side will hold a meeting tonight to deploy, and supervision can begin tomorrow.”

“Mayor Tian is indeed vigorous and resolute,” Lu Zheng nodded with a smile, “We'll start with the government system tomorrow.”

After saying that, he turned and boarded the Coaster minibus.

Jiang Yunheng, the Secretary of the Tongan Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection, followed closely behind.

He maintained just the right distance in his steps, showing respect without appearing subservient.

Twelve team members, eight men and four women, filed onto the bus.

After boarding, Zhao Yang found that his seat was only separated from Jiang Yunheng's by an aisle.

Jiang Yunheng kept talking with Lu Zheng and had no time to attend to others.

He couldn't help but look sideways at his future father-in-law:

A square face, regular features, and when his brows furrowed slightly, they naturally formed an aura of dignity without anger.

Jiang Yunheng was talking in a low voice with Lu Zheng, occasionally nodding in thought or responding humorously.

The two were like old colleagues, lacking any of Ji Hongwen's deliberately fawning posture.

This caused Zhao Yang's favorable impression of him to increase.

Arriving at the Century Sunshine Hotel where the supervision group was staying, Jiang Yunheng accompanied Lu Zheng for the buffet and then left in a hurry.

The Century Sunshine Hotel was small, with only three floors.

Because the supervision group was staying there, the entire hotel was closed and no longer open to the public.

The supervision group divided the three-story building into functional areas.

The first floor was for dining and meetings, while the rooms on the second floor were converted into interview areas.

Lu Zheng and all the team members lived on the third floor.

Lu Zheng looked kind but acted with swift determination.

After eating, he immediately gathered the team members for a meeting to divide them into groups.

Once everyone was seated, Lu Zheng spoke:

“Our Third Supervision Group, besides Secretary Xie, the hands-off boss, and me, the shopkeeper, has twelve members divided into three small groups.”

His gaze swept across everyone's faces, and his expression became serious:

“I will now announce the list of group leaders. Group One, leader Chen Jian, responsible for supervising party and government committees at all levels, five people in the group.”

Chen Jian was the Deputy Director of the Fourth Discipline Inspection and Supervision Office, about forty years old, with black-rimmed glasses on his thin face.

He nodded slightly, his gaze sharp behind the lenses.

“Group Two, leader Gu Songyan, responsible for supervising mass organizations and municipal state-owned enterprises, four people in the group.”

Hearing this, Zhao Yang's heart skipped a beat.

Both Chen Jian and Gu Songyan were at the deputy division level.

By this logic, the leader of Group Three should at least be at the section level.

As a newly hired deputy section chief, it was impossible for him to serve as a group leader.

However, in the next second, Lu Zheng's gaze passed over everyone and landed on his face.

“Group Three, leader Zhao Yang, responsible for supervising the political and legal system.”

As soon as Lu Zheng finished speaking, everyone immediately looked at Zhao Yang and a burst of whispering broke out.

Zheng Beichen and Gao Yan, sitting beside Zhao Yang, didn't gossip, but both looked equally surprised.

Lu Zheng was not surprised by this; he raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet.

“Don't be dissatisfied. Zhao Yang is from Tongan and was a journalist covering the political and legal beat.”

“None of you are more familiar with the Tongan political and legal system than he is.”

Zhao Yang clenched his fist excitedly; this arrangement was exactly what he wanted.

He had initially thought Sun Hongwei's connection was Secretary-General Xu Weizhou.

Now it seemed that wasn't the case at all.

To let him supervise the Tongan political and legal system legitimately, they had actually organized such a large-scale province-wide roving supervision.

The promoter behind this was likely Gong Chengze himself, a member of the Provincial Committee Standing Committee and Secretary of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection.

He was pondering the logic behind it when he heard Lu Zheng continue:

“Among the three group leaders, Zhao Yang has the least seniority, so you choose your personnel first.”

“Those chosen must unconditionally follow Zhao Yang's command in their work.”

After speaking, he raised his hand toward Zhao Yang, signaling him to begin.

These discipline inspectors usually had serious faces and didn't seem easy to get along with.

Zhao Yang didn't dare to be reckless and chose Zheng Beichen and Gao Yan, whom he was most familiar with.

It happened that there was a female comrade, which would make the work easier.

Selected by Zhao Yang, Gao Yan playfully stuck out her tongue.

This kind of supervision was mostly just going through the motions.

Being with Zhao Yang, where everyone was at the same rank, meant there was no pressure.

After Chen Jian and Gu Songyan had finished choosing their team members, Lu Zheng beckoned to Zhao Yang:

“Zhao Yang, come to my room for a moment.”

In Lu Zheng's room, Zhao Yang immediately pulled out a Huazi and lit it for him.

“Master, did you call me here to give me some special guidance?”

Lu Zheng never smoked in public, but he smoked heavily in private, always the three-yuan-a-pack Shengtang.

“Special guidance?”

Lu Zheng smiled, the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes rippling.

“Just the fact that I called you here alone—who would dare to look down on you in the future?”

Zhao Yang weighed his words: “Master, to tell you the truth, this group alone is enough for me.”

He guessed that Lu Zheng already knew the purpose of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection sending him to Tongan.

Lu Zheng stopped smiling, the red light of the cigarette tip flickering in the dimness:

“This supervision only lasts for a month and a half. You must not let your guard down.”

The two chatted for a while, and then Zhao Yang returned to his room and called Zheng Beichen and Gao Yan to discuss the next day's work.

Neither of them took this supervision very seriously.

It was nothing more than going to various units for meetings and preaching the spirit of the “Decision” of the Sixth Plenary Session.

If they received any report leads, they would then conduct investigations and hold admonishment talks.

This kind of style rectification had always been like a gust of wind; once the wind passed, no trace remained.

It was still more satisfying to handle corruption cases.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Yang took an unusual approach, completely ignoring the conventional playbook.

“We won't start with the leaders, and we won't hold large meetings.”

Zhao Yang's voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet room:

“We will start with the deputy section-level cadres of the public security organs and conduct in-depth interviews one by one.”

Zheng Beichen and Gao Yan were both stunned, exchanging an incredulous look.

How many deputy section-level cadres were there in the Tongan public security system? How much work would that be?

What exactly was Zhao Yang's purpose in doing this?