Chapter 316: Investigation (Part 2)

Hou Weidong and Su Mingjun had known each other since 1994. After Su Tang'er ran away from home, both families had moved into the Xinyue Building. Unknowingly, four years had passed, and the relationship between the two families had grown quite close. Not long ago, they had even taken a trip to Shanghai together. Xiaojia had acted as their guide, buying plenty of high-end clothes for Sister Zhao and Su Tang'er. The little girl who had once run away from home was now a first-year middle school student.

After meeting on the pedestrian street, they went to a teahouse at the corner. This was the best teahouse in Yiyang. Sitting on the second floor by the window, they could look down upon the entire Yiyang pedestrian street.

Su Mingjun briefly recounted the matter of the investigation team coming to Yiyang. Hou Weidong was startled. "There’s actually such a thing? An accusation against Ma Youcai? It’s mostly trouble caused by the position of County Party Secretary."

"You just need to know about it. I won’t go into the specific details. I estimate they will want to talk to you tomorrow. It’s mainly about the relocation of the Yiyang Native Produce Company to the New Management Committee. Do you have any issues in this regard?"

"Absolutely not."

Su Mingjun nodded and said, "I think you don’t have any problems either, but I still need to remind you." He was usually a very steady person, speaking and acting with great propriety. Only in front of close friends like Hou Weidong would he speak such blunt truths. Moreover, Su Mingjun had specifically come to find Hou Weidong today to give him a heads-up.

Hou Weidong expressed his gratitude. "Brother Su, rest assured. I will not do anything illegal or against discipline. I won’t be foolish enough to ruin my own future."

"Secretary Changquan received the accusation letter and was very angry. He demanded a thorough investigation to get to the bottom of things. Although there are no results yet, from my personal feeling, you’ve touched upon the crux of the issue. The position of Yiyang County Party Secretary is a lucrative post. Several secretaries have been promoted from it. Both Yang Senlin and Ma Youcai want this position."

Hou Weidong thought to himself, Would Yang Senlin be so foolish? To use such a low-level tactic at this critical juncture? Unless he has ironclad evidence in hand, this matter is not simple. Out loud, he asked, "When you say 'get to the bottom of things,' does that mean investigating Ma Youcai, or investigating the person who wrote the letter?"

"Probably both. Secretary Ji is the team leader. I imagine Secretary Changquan has already briefed him." Su Mingjun stopped there and asked, "Who do you hope becomes the County Party Secretary?"

"That’s a matter for your Organization Department. My opinion doesn’t count." Hou Weidong had intended to make a joke, but seeing Su Mingjun’s serious expression, he answered earnestly. "I hope Yang Senlin becomes the County Party Secretary. After all, he comes from a large government agency, is well-informed, and has plenty of drive. During the previous cleanup of polluting enterprises, although we lost some tax revenue in the short term, we left a clean environment for the New Management Committee. This indirectly increased the value of the New Management Committee. When you look at the overall account, it wasn’t a loss."

The two chatted while drinking tea. Su Mingjun shared some anecdotes about personnel matters in Shazhou. Around 9:30, Su Mingjun prepared to return to the small guesthouse. As they parted, he suggested, "You were once Secretary Zhu’s secretary, and a highly valued one at that. If you stay in Yiyang, neither Yang Senlin nor Ma Youcai will give you significant responsibilities. Therefore, it would be best for you to follow Secretary Zhu to Maoyun. That is the shortcut for your development."

Such frank advice from the Executive Deputy Director of the Shazhou Municipal Party Committee Organization Department warmed Hou Weidong’s heart. He didn’t hide his thoughts. "The situation in Maoyun is still somewhat chaotic. Secretary Zhu asked me to stay in the New Management Committee for now. Once things there are sorted out, I will be transferred over."

"In that case, I can rest assured." Su Mingjun advised, "Both Yang Senlin and Ma Youcai have some backing. It’s uncertain who will become the County Party Secretary. Don’t轻易 throw your lot in with either side. Stay put and wait until Secretary Zhu has firmly established his footing in Maoyun. If you’re unhappy working in Yiyang, I’ll find a way to transfer you to Shazhou. However, Secretary Changquan hasn’t opened any positions yet, so you can’t enter the Municipal Party Committee or Government, and there won’t be any suitable positions for you temporarily."

Hou Weidong walked Su Mingjun back to the small guesthouse. He stopped about one hundred meters away and watched until Su Mingjun entered the building.

Hou Weidong thought to himself, For a leader in the Organization Department, going this far is already quite good. Although I had helped Su Tang'er in the past, the fact that my relationship with Su Mingjun is now this good is largely due to Xiaojia’s efforts through the 'wife’s route.'

The women who frequently came to the Xinyue Building home to play cards included not only Mrs. Su, but also Director Xie from the Municipal Landscape Management Bureau, and several section chiefs from the Construction Committee. Amidst the clacking of mahjong tiles, these women had built their own network of connections. As Xiaojia’s husband, Hou Weidong had already felt the benefits of this network.

"After Xiaojia returned from two years of study, she became a genuine backbone of the business. With Su Mingjun’s connections, perhaps in another two or three years, she might even become a Deputy Director, which is a proper deputy division-level position."

Thinking about how much effort he had expended to become merely a principal section-level cadre, Hou Weidong felt a bit sentimental. Chickens scratch backward, pigs root forward. Everyone has their own methods. These women’s subtle tactics really have a big impact. One shouldn’t underestimate them.

The next day, Hou Weidong waited calmly for a call from the Discipline Inspection Commission. He had not embezzled a single penny in the New Management Committee, so he had no fear of their investigation. At ten o’clock, Liu Kai, the Deputy Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission and Director of the Supervision Bureau, called. "Director Hou, hello. This is Liu Kai from the Discipline Inspection Commission. Please come to the small guesthouse at 10:30. You’ll know what it’s about when you arrive. It’s all work-related matters."

Hou Weidong laughed. "Secretary Liu, don’t scare me. If I get a heart attack, you’ll be responsible." In the case of the Yiyang Native Produce Company, Hou Weidong and Liu Kai had cooperated, and their relationship was decent. Although Liu Kai was a disciplinary cadre, he was not rigid. "It’s just a routine investigation. We’ll ask some minor questions."

When Hou Weidong arrived at the small guesthouse, he saw Kong Zhengyou from the Discipline Inspection Commission standing at the door. Kong was the type of person who was extremely serious in his work. After returning to local work for several years, he had handled several cases, earning great merit but also offending many people. While Hou Weidong had risen from an ordinary clerk to the Director of the New Management Committee, Kong was still standing still in his career.

Seeing Hou Weidong, Kong showed no expression and said calmly, "Secretary Ji wants to talk to you." This expression was known as the "Discipline Inspection Commission face," which was not very likable.

Kong Zhengyou led Hou Weidong to the door of Ji Daolin’s room and turned to leave. Upon entering, Hou Weidong saw Ji Daolin and a young man. He proactively greeted them. "Secretary Ji, hello."

Ji Daolin was quite amiable. He asked his assistant to make tea for Hou Weidong and initiated some small talk. "I am very familiar with the student union cadres from your batch back then. It’s impressive that you could become the head of the New Management Committee at such a young age. Li Yuan was assigned to the Provincial Party Committee and, I heard, became a Deputy Division Director. From your examples, it can be proven that the student union is indeed a cradle for cultivating cadres."

After chatting for a few sentences, Ji Daolin’s expression turned serious, and he entered the main topic. "When you were in the County Party Committee Office, you were very familiar with the Yiyang Native Produce Company. Now you are in the New Management Committee. Can you talk about the restructuring of the Yiyang Native Produce Company?"

Hou Weidong had considered this thoroughly the night before. He had set the tone for today’s conversation as being factual and objective. Pretending to think for a moment, he said, "The Yiyang Native Produce Company had been insolvent for a year. Restructuring it conforms to national policies and the company’s current situation. Relocating the Yiyang Native Produce Company to the New Management Committee aligns with the overall planning of Yiyang County. After the company moved, the original factory buildings were listed for sale, and operations have been running relatively well."

Ji Daolin asked, "How are major projects operated within the county?"

"Major projects must be discussed at the executive meeting of the government. Projects involving the overall situation must be submitted to the standing committee of the County Party Committee. The project of the Yiyang Native Produce Company, from restructuring to auction, went through normal procedures."

Hou Weidong added, "The land requisition in the New Management Committee was handled by me. As the Director of the New Management Committee, I auctioned the land at market price. All archival materials are available. The tax and fee reductions were also decided by the standing committee. As for the land situation of the original factory, it is not within the scope of the New Management Committee, so I am not clear on that."

Ji Daolin made a few notes in his notebook and said to the young man beside him, "In that case, you and Liu Kai go to the New Management Committee and pull out the archives regarding the land transactions of the Yiyang Native Produce Company to take a look."

Hou Weidong had the support of the quarry and the shares of Jinggong Group behind him. He did not lack money and had never thought of using his position to get rich. He could withstand the investigation. When Liu Kai accepted the task, Hou Weidong’s expression remained unchanged.

Ji Daolin said gently, "This is a routine inspection."

Hou Weidong replied, "The inspection by the Discipline Inspection Commission is a protection for us. After you check, I can work with even greater peace of mind."

Hearing Hou Weidong’s statement, Ji Daolin said happily, "The quality of our college graduates is indeed different. It’s good that Xiao Hou has this understanding. The Discipline Inspection Commission has strict requirements for everyone, but this is actually responsible for the comrades. First, it prevents problems from growing. Second, it protects honest cadres. Third, it eradicates corruption."

He then casually asked, "Xiao Hou has been working in Yiyang for several years. Have you heard of any style issues among the leaders of the County Party Committee and County Government?"

"No."

"I’ve never heard of any."

Hou Weidong thought to himself, Does the accusation letter also mention romantic scandals? There have never been any rumors about Ma Youcai in this regard. Out loud, he said, "Yiyang is not big, and there aren’t many entertainment facilities. If the county leaders had any scandalous news, it would have spread long ago. I really haven’t heard of anything."

Ji Daolin had worked at Shazhou College for a considerable time and was aware of the atmosphere in Yiyang. He nodded. "I am aware of it. Back then, a female teacher at the college had a romantic relationship with a university student. The news spread through every street and alley in Yiyang, causing some old ladies to even come to the school to see the spectacle. This is a symbol of being closed and backward. In large cities like Shanghai and Shenzhen, no one would pay attention to such things unless they were celebrities."

Speaking of the college, Ji Daolin recalled many past events. "I remember you graduated in 1993. On the day you graduated, the boys’ dorm threw quite a few things down from the building. Did you throw anything then?" Hou Weidong chuckled. "Four years of study, only four chances to vent. I definitely threw something. Such an opportunity doesn’t come twice."

After chatting for a while, Ji Daolin received a call from Liu Kai. "The accounts of the Yiyang Native Produce Company in the New Management Committee are clear and consistent with the facts."

"So fast?"

Liu Kai affirmed, "The New Management Committee has a dedicated archive room with standardized management. The accounts are fine and very clear."

Ji Daolin put down the phone and looked at Hou Weidong with some approval. "Today, I am representing the Shazhou Discipline Inspection Commission to understand the situation with you. This matter is still under investigation, so I hope you will keep it confidential."

After Hou Weidong left, Ji Daolin called Secretary Changquan. "Secretary Changquan, this afternoon, we divided into two groups and talked to relevant cadres. Currently, none of the content reflected in the accusation letter has been verified."

Secretary Changquan was somewhat angry. "Secretary Ji, this matter concerns the Party’s conduct. We must not tolerate it. We must investigate thoroughly to the end."