Chapter 119: Sudden Storm (Part 3)

Zhao Yongsheng had originally been confident about the upcoming re-election in Qinglin Town. With Qin Feiyue gone, he saw no one in Qinglin who could pose a real threat.

However, when Xiao Weiguo, the Vice Chairman of the People’s Congress, appeared before him looking tense and anxious, Zhao Yongsheng cracked a joke to lighten the mood. "Chairman Xiao, what’s got you in such a hurry? 'Calmness in the face of major events' is your motto, isn’t it?"

Xiao Weiguo ignored the joke, his face etched with urgency. "Secretary Zhao, this is a difficult situation. A dark horse has emerged. The Third Representative Group has put forward a new candidate for Deputy Mayor."

Zhao Yongsheng’s expression immediately turned serious. "Who proposed it? And who is the candidate?"

"It was proposed by Yan Guoge from Dushi Village. He nominated Hou Weidong as a candidate for Deputy Mayor. Twelve others, including Zeng Xiangang and Qin Dajiang, seconded the motion. According to the Election Law, their proposal is valid."

Hearing that the candidate was Hou Weidong, Zhao Yongsheng instantly realized the gravity of the situation. He stood up. "Who is this Yan Guoge? I don’t recognize the name."

"He’s from Dushi Village. He used to be the village head, but he’s been living with his daughter in Shazhou since last year."

Although Hou Weidong held no official title, his reputation in Qinglin Town was significant, especially in Shangqinglin, where he commanded strong influence. When he had been detained by the Procuratorate earlier, the villagers of Shangqinglin had organized a petition with ten thousand signatures. Zhao Yongsheng had calculated every angle, yet he had never imagined that Hou Weidong, who was focused on running his business in Shangqinglin, would suddenly emerge as a contender. Rubbing his temples in frustration, he asked, "Can we withdraw the proposal?"

Xiao Weiguo smiled bitterly. "The proposal is already in writing. Withdrawing it would be illegal."

Zhao Yongsheng thought for a moment. "Give me the list of the twelve people."

Xiao Weiguo had prepared for this and handed over the signed list.

Zhao Yongsheng scanned the names. All twelve were village cadres from Shangqinglin. He quickly formulated a plan. "I will talk to Zeng Xiangang and Qin Dajiang. You go speak with Yan Guoge and Yang Binggang. For the others, Secretary Jiang and Ning Yong, the Deputy Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission, will handle the talks. If we can’t get them to withdraw, we must ensure they prioritize the bigger picture and the development of Qinglin Town, and vote for the candidates designated by the organization."

Qin Dajiang was summoned to the Secretary’s office. After closing the door, Zhao Yongsheng’s face was cold as ice. "Qin Dajiang, what are you playing at? The three candidates were determined by the organization. Do you intend to defy the Yi Yang County Party Committee and Government? This is reckless. That Yan Guoge is someone who doesn’t listen to instructions. As the Party Branch Secretary, how did you allow him to be recommended?"

Qin Dajiang looked distressed. "Yan Guoge is the former head of the production team. You vetted him when he was elected as a representative. I had no idea he would pull this stunt. He asked for my opinion, so I just signed my name along with the others."

"Hmph, 'just along with the others.' Once that signature is down, if there are any surprises in the election, I will hold you personally responsible."

"Secretary Zhao, everyone in our group is from Shangqinglin. If I hadn’t signed, word would have gotten out, and how could I face Hou Weidong? He is the special envoy sent by the Town Government to oversee our village."

"Don’t worry about that. After the meeting, I will transfer Hou Weidong to Xiaqinglin. You are an old Party Secretary; you must adhere to organizational principles."

Qin Dajiang patted his chest confidently. "Rest assured. Although I signed, I will definitely follow the organization’s intent when voting. I have been educated by the Party for so many years; I have that level of awareness."

After sending Qin Dajiang away, Zhao Yongsheng felt even less secure. These branch secretaries were mostly shrewd and slippery. They might say one thing to his face but do something else entirely when voting.

When Zeng Xiangang entered, he sat opposite Zhao Yongsheng, one eye empty. Zhao Yongsheng tossed him a cigarette. "Director Zeng, is your health okay?"

Zeng Xiangang pushed the cigarette back. "Secretary Zhao, since the incident, I have quit both smoking and drinking."

Zhao Yongsheng took a deep drag of his own cigarette. "Hou Weidong as a candidate… how did this happen?"

Zeng Xiangang spoke in a muffled tone. "After Yan Guoge made the proposal, he asked who was willing to sign. I was sitting next to him. If I hadn’t signed, I would have felt I was betraying Hou Weidong. I mean this sincerely."

Zhao Yongsheng cursed silently in his heart: This Yan Guoge, what a meddlesome bastard.

After talking with Zeng Xiangang, Zhao Yongsheng’s sense of unease grew stronger. He immediately convened a meeting with the twelve People’s Congress representatives from the town office, reiterating organizational discipline and demanding that they realize the organization’s intent by electing the three candidates designated by the Organization Department.

At three in the afternoon, the formal voting began.

Liu Kun, the Mayor’s Assistant, attended the Town People’s Congress as a non-voting delegate. In the hall, he continuously distributed cigarettes to representatives he knew and didn’t know, his face smiling like a blooming flower. But when Hou Weidong emerged as a dark horse, the flower on his face froze instantly, as if covered by heavy snow.

As the vote counting began, the voice announcing the results was in the typical Qinglin accent—earthy and sharp. Yet at that moment, it sounded particularly solemn. The sound raised Liu Kun’s throat to the edge of panic. When his own name was called, it sounded strangely intimate; but when Hou Weidong’s name was called, his eyelid twitched.

There were five candidates, but only three Deputy Mayor positions, meaning two would be eliminated. Li Hui’s vote count was clearly lower than the top four, so he was certain to be eliminated. The vote counts for Zhong Duanhua, Liu Kun, Tang Shugang, and Hou Weidong were extremely close, with their rankings fluctuating up and down.

When the counting stopped, there were ninety-eight representatives present. The last place was Li Hui with nineteen votes. The second to last was Liu Kun with forty-eight votes. The third to last was Hou Weidong with fifty-seven votes.

Liu Kun’s head rang with a loud noise. He was blank for a long time before realizing: I lost. His mouth hung slightly open as he searched for Zhao Yongsheng with his eyes.

Below the stage, Qin Dajiang looked calm. He kept his head down, flipping through the Town People’s Congress work report over and over.

Zhao Yongsheng’s face was extremely ugly. He stared tightly at the election results, then walked out of the hall with a stern expression. Jiang Yicai and Xiao Tianguo also slipped out quietly.

One was the divisional leader in charge of organization, and the other was the Vice Chairman of the People’s Congress. Neither had anticipated this outcome.

The three men gathered in the Secretary’s office. Zhao Yongsheng, his face iron-blue, looked at Jiang Yicai. Jiang Yicai, whose personality was naturally soft, panicked and stammered, "Secretary Zhao, there were no signs of this. It must be the trick of a few village cadres from Shangqinglin."

Zhao Yongsheng interrupted. "What’s the use of saying that now? Think of remedial measures quickly. Old Jiang, take the Discipline Inspection Commission comrades with you and investigate secretly for any signs of vote-buying." He then turned to Xiao Tianguo. "Old Xiao, compile a complete written report on today’s election situation and go to the People’s Congress to report on the results."

The two men left with orders. Zhao Yongsheng gritted his teeth and dialed the office phone of Minister Liu from the Organization Department.

Minister Liu was already angry. He had received a call with bad news from Yanghe Town in the south, where a candidate designated by the organization had been defeated. Hearing Zhao Yongsheng’s report, he flew into a rage. "Secretary Zhao, how did you organize this election? This kind of incident shows problems with your ability to control the overall situation and the combat effectiveness of the Qinglin Town Party Committee."

After a reprimand, Minister Liu softened his tone slightly. "Have any representatives or the masses reported abnormal situations? If so, measures must be taken immediately."

Zhao Yongsheng answered cautiously. "I have already established an investigation team with Deputy Secretary Jiang Yicai as the leader to thoroughly investigate the issues that arose during the election."

Minister Liu said unequivocally, "This matter must be handled quickly. The investigation must be solid. If there are problems, the materials must be thorough. Furthermore, you will personally lead the team. I will listen to the investigation results at any time."

After hanging up, Zhao Yongsheng leaned back in his chair, thinking of countermeasures. From the results, there was definitely something abnormal about this election. He didn’t believe for a second that Hou Weidong hadn’t done any groundwork, but catching him in the act would be difficult. He walked to the door and saw Jiang Yicai’s back. "Old Jiang, invite Yan Guoge to my office."

When Yan Guoge arrived at Zhao Yongsheng’s office, Zhao Yongsheng tried to smile, tossing him a cigarette. "Old Yan, you’re enjoying life now, living with your daughter in Shazhou."

Yan Guoge smiled honestly. "My daughter does wholesale business in Shazhou. With no one to help with the children, my wife and I came to help them."

After a few small talk exchanges, Zhao Yongsheng suddenly asked, "Who told you to nominate Hou Weidong?"

Yan Guoge replied, "My daughter. In the past, every time she came home, she had to take a bus to Xiaqinglin and then walk up the mountain. Now, the bus can go right to our doorstep. So she told me that a cadre like Hou Weidong, who works wholeheartedly for the people, should be elected as a leader."

Yan Guoge was telling the truth. According to Qin Dajiang’s plan, he had arranged for a friend from Wangri Village to make the proposal. But just as they were preparing to propose, Yan Guoge, a representative from their own village, stepped forward first. Qin Dajiang, Zeng Xiangang, and others immediately supported his proposal. Yan Guoge had unintentionally become the vanguard.

Zhao Yongsheng asked several indirect questions, but Yan Guoge answered each one clearly and straightforwardly.

While the election in Qinglin Town was in full swing, Hou Weidong was drinking tea on Qinglin Mountain, watching a long and tedious TV series. He had two plans in mind. If he wasn’t elected, he would go directly to Qin Feiyue and seek a position in the Development Zone. If he was elected Deputy Mayor, he would have entered the leadership ranks. He would work for a while and then look for other opportunities.

After four in the afternoon, Yang Feng, the fast-talker from the office, called his home. "Hou Weidong—no, I should say Deputy Mayor Hou. Congratulations! You must take care of me in the future." Yang Feng was an insider in the Party and Government Office. She had a private phone book filled with numbers. Since there weren’t many landlines in Shangqinglin, she had recorded them all. Learning that Hou Weidong had been elected Deputy Mayor, she saw the office was empty and called to congratulate him.

"Secretary Zhao is very angry about the election. He will probably want to talk to you soon, so be careful." Every time Hou Weidong visited the Qinglin Party and Government Office, he bought her a bag of sunflower seeds or other snacks. Their relationship was good. Without him asking, she informed him of the situation down in the town.

The investigation team acted quickly. As soon as the Town People’s Congress ended, Ning Yong, the Deputy Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission, led three people and drove straight to Shangqinglin. Starting from Dushi Village, they began talking to the Women’s Director, the Militia Company Commander, and the heads of each production team, one by one, looking for any trace of Hou Weidong manipulating the election.

Jiang Yicai led another group, interviewing the Party Secretaries and Village Directors of each village in Shangqinglin.

The next day, an investigation team composed of relevant comrades from the County Organization Department, the People’s Congress, and the Civil Affairs Bureau arrived in Qinglin Town. They notified Hou Weidong to come to the town for a separate interview.

Upon receiving the notice, Hou Weidong felt a slight tremor in his heart. During this re-election, he had secretly instructed Qin Dajiang and Zeng Xiangang, which led to the current situation. In this sense, he had secretly manipulated the election.

However, he had only given instructions privately. He had never appeared directly, nor had he spent money to buy votes. More importantly, Yan Guoge’s sudden emergence had unintentionally covered all traces. Therefore, no matter how they investigated, they would find nothing. From this perspective, he had no reason to worry.

Walking into the Town Discipline Inspection Commission office, five people with serious expressions stared at him. To ease the atmosphere, Jiang Yicai smiled and said to Hou Weidong, "We invited you to town today mainly to understand some situations. You must report what you know to the organization truthfully."

After speaking, he introduced the identities of everyone present to Hou Weidong.

Li Dechao, the Deputy Secretary of the County Discipline Inspection Commission, was the leader of the investigation team. He exchanged a few pleasantries with Hou Weidong, asking where he graduated and how many years he had worked in Qinglin Town. Then he changed the subject. "Now, on behalf of the organization, I will have a talk with you. This conversation will be recorded. As a Communist Party member, you must be loyal to the organization. I hope you answer the questions honestly."

"I am loyal to the Party. Every word I say is the truth."

"Did you have any thoughts before this re-election?"

Hou Weidong smiled. "This is a matter for the Organization Department. What thoughts could I have? I obey the organization’s decisions."

"Did you discuss the election with Yan Guoge?"

"No. I only met him once, last year during the road construction. We haven’t seen each other since."

"Did you discuss the election with anyone else?"

"No."

"Are you sure you never discussed the election with anyone?"

"No."

After asking more than a dozen questions, Hou Weidong answered simply and decisively, never dragging his feet. Li Dechao knew that continuing like this would yield no results, but he followed traditional methods, asking about every possibility and recording all the questions and answers. Finally, he had Hou Weidong sign the record and press his red fingerprint on it.

After completing all procedures, Li Dechao smiled. "This is a routine inquiry. I hope you understand."

The investigation lasted three days and yielded nothing.

The Yi Yang County Party Committee attached great importance to the issues arising from the Qinglin Town re-election. On the fourth day, Zhao Yongsheng went to the County Party Committee to report to Secretary Zhao, the divisional leader in charge of organization.

After listening to the report, Secretary Zhao remained silent for a while. "So, the organization’s intent was not realized in this re-election, purely due to unexpected reasons."

Zhao Yongsheng was full of anger toward Hou Weidong, but he could only report objectively. "Hou Weidong is one of the ten cadres publicly recruited by the Yi Yang County Party Committee and Government in 1993. After arriving at the Qinglin Town Government, he served as the Deputy Head of the Qinglin Government Working Group stationed in Shangqinglin, and later as the Director of the Office of the Shangqinglin Road Construction Leading Group. He contributed to the construction of the Shangqinglin road, so he has some prestige in Shangqinglin."

A light bulb went off in Secretary Zhao’s mind. He suddenly remembered the young man he had met in the Personnel Bureau office in 1993. "Is Hou Weidong about 1.75 meters tall, with a sturdy build?"

"Yes. He also graduated from Shazhou College, majoring in law."

Secretary Zhao flipped through the Discipline Inspection Commission’s investigation conclusion. "Since the election followed proper procedures and there was no human manipulation, it is legal. We must accept this result. In future work, you must arrange Hou Weidong’s work properly."

He paused, his voice light but his words heavy. "There are two problems with the Qinglin Town Party Committee in this re-election. First, they did not do adequate investigation work and lacked foresight, which led to this situation. This shows that the Qinglin Party Committee’s ability to control the situation needs improvement. Secretary Zhao, you are an old leader; this kind of incident really shouldn’t have happened. Second, since Hou Weidong enjoys prestige among the masses and is a legitimate university graduate, why wasn’t this talent recommended to the Organization Department? This reflects a problem in recognizing talent."

Zhao Yongsheng’s face turned red with embarrassment. He admitted his mistake. "This is a profound lesson. I will submit a self-criticism to the County Party Committee. Comrade Liu Kun was sent down by the organization, but now he has lost. How should he be arranged next?"

"How has Comrade Liu Kun performed in Qinglin Town?"

"Although Comrade Liu Kun is young, he has worked hard since arriving in Qinglin Town and has gradually gotten into the role. He is an excellent young cadre. It’s just that he hasn’t been in Qinglin Town long enough, and the village comrades are not familiar with him, so he lost."

Secretary Zhao said, "I will report Comrade Liu Kun’s placement issue to Secretary Zhu. After you return, learn from this lesson. Work with Comrade Su Ming to pick up the town’s work. In 1995, Qing