Chapter 415: Sensitivity (Part 2)

The whistleblowing letter incident gradually faded from public discourse in Shazhou. This was entirely normal. With a population of several million and tens of thousands of state civil servants, the city received a steady stream of complaint letters to higher authorities every year. If every single one were remembered and acted upon, the work of Shazhou would grind to a halt.

However, a select few did remember that letter. These individuals had a vested interest in the matter. Kong Zhengyi, for instance, was a direct party to the events and naturally could not forget. At the first Party Group and Administrative Meeting following the incident, his face was iron-gray. His gaze swept coldly over his several deputy directors, cursing inwardly: "Don't act so innocent. The mole is one of you."

His eyes finally settled on Liang Chao, the Executive Deputy Director. As the most likely successor to Kong’s position, Liang was also the prime suspect.

Liang Chao seemed to sense Kong Zhengyi’s chilling stare. The two had once served as deputy directors together. Kong had climbed the ladder slightly faster, securing the directorship, while Liang had lagged behind, resigned to the role of deputy.

Among the leadership team of the Finance Bureau, Director Kong Zhengyi was the shortest, while Second-in-Command Liang Chao was the tallest. Standing side by side, Liang towered over Kong by at least half a head. Whenever they traveled together for official business, hosts almost invariably mistook the dignified-looking Liang for the top leader. This situation caused embarrassment for both men.

Although Kong Zhengyi was short in stature, his temper was formidable. He was quick to criticize at the slightest dissatisfaction and prone to cursing when troubled. Everyone in the Finance Bureau felt a degree of trepidation in his presence. Liang Chao was the exact opposite. He always wore a gentle smile and spoke in soft, approachable tones.

Due to their stark differences, office gossipers often compared the two. "If Director Liang were the head, our benefits would surely be much better," some would whisper. "If Director Liang were in charge, our…"

In the political landscape of Shazhou, Kong Zhengyi was tightly aligned with Zhou Changquan. Consequently, Liang Chao possessed enough self-awareness to avoid direct confrontation with Kong. Patience and waiting were essential qualities for anyone in officialdom. Yet, seven years had passed in the blink of an eye. While seven years might not turn the sea into mulberry fields, it was enough to transform an outstanding young cadre into a middle-aged one.

Promotion depended on many conditions, with age being a critical factor. Liang Chao had been thirty-three when he became deputy director—an age of vigor and high spirits. Now, at forty, he remained a deputy director.

These seven years of stagnation might well mark the premature end of Liang Chao’s political career.

Therefore, when various rumors about Zhou Changquan began to circulate in society, Liang Chao turned his struggle toward Kong Zhengyi. Over the years, while Kong operated in the open, Liang had worked in the shadows, quietly gathering substantial evidence of Kong’s illegal activities.

In March, he had written two whistleblowing letters to Meng Haofang, the Provincial Party Secretary, and Gao Xianglin, the Secretary of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection. The letters directly accused Kong Zhengyi of two major crimes: misappropriating public funds and participating in the private division of state-owned assets. Liang had never expected the Provincial Commission’s investigation to be so perfunctory and careless, nor had he anticipated the complete lack of response. This left Liang deeply disappointed and anxious about potential retaliation from Kong.

As Kong Zhengyi’s gaze seemed to linger on Liang Chao’s face, Liang steadied his nerves. He mentally reviewed the key departments under his supervision, such as the Budget Section and the Treasury Section, preparing to speak according to standard procedure.

After a moment of silent scrutiny, Kong Zhengyi finally spoke. "It is already June, and half the year has passed. How everyone has performed is clear in your own minds. I can only summarize our results with four words: so-so."

He proceeded to critique the work of each deputy director, offering the customary five parts praise and five parts criticism. Just as he was about to assign new tasks, an office worker walked in holding a telephone record book. He approached Kong Zhengyi somewhat timidly and said, "Director Kong, there is a notice for a Municipal Government meeting."

Kong Zhengyi frowned as he looked at the record book. Although he only truly answered to Zhou Changquan in his bones, he still had to heed the Municipal Government’s calls on the surface. He scribbled a few characters quickly: "Please have Comrade Liang Chao attend."

When Liang Chao left the Finance Bureau conference room, he still felt a cold gaze fixed on him. Only after stepping out of the bureau’s main gate did the chilling sensation diminish. The sky seemed to brighten instantly, the air grew richer in oxygen, and his breathing became smooth, his body feeling alive once more.

The Municipal Government meeting concluded in just over an hour, dealing with routine business matters. As Liang Chao packed his briefcase, he considered whether to return to the Finance Bureau to continue the meeting. Xiao Qin, the secretary to Mayor Liu Bing, approached him and whispered, "Director Liang, Mayor Liu would like to see you in his office."

Liang Chao was surprised. "What does Mayor Liu want with me?" Xiao Qin smiled. "I’m not sure."

Following Xiao Qin into Mayor Liu’s office, the secretary efficiently brewed tea and then exited through the main door, walked down the corridor, and re-entered his own office through the front door of the secretary’s room.

In Shazhou, the offices of party and government leaders were typically connected to their secretaries’ offices. Liu Bing, however, disliked this arrangement. He did not wish to appear unconventional, so he had not sealed the connecting door, but it was rarely opened. Xiao Qin was always conscious of entering and exiting through the main door.

As the Executive Deputy Director of the Finance Bureau, Liang Chao had many opportunities to appear before Liu Bing, and the two were not strangers. After discussing Shazhou’s fiscal situation for the first half of the year, Liu Bing produced a folder. "Take a look at this letter. What are your thoughts?"

Liang Chao assumed this was the whistleblowing letter he had written. His heart pounded wildly. Forcing himself to remain calm, he opened the folder and skimmed the contents. He let out a long sigh of relief, his heart settling back into his stomach. He thought to himself: Is the Provincial Commission investigating this letter? It’s not the one I wrote. The content of this letter is like scratching an itch from a distance; it could never bring down Kong Zhengyi, who is deeply rooted.

After reading the letter carefully, Liang Chao said, "Judging by the content, this letter should have originated from within the Finance Bureau. However…" He paused slightly.

Liu Bing encouraged him. "The Provincial Commission has already reached a conclusion: no evidence was found. I am merely gathering information privately. You can speak your mind freely."

Liang Chao had always maintained a close relationship with Liu Bing, a mutual necessity. However, Liang had not fully committed to Liu’s camp, or rather, many things remained unspoken, separated by a thin layer of paper.

"Shazhou’s finances rank near the top in Lingxi Province. Although they lag far behind coastal cities of similar tier, the funds passing through our hands amount to billions annually. Using such trivial matters to report a Finance Bureau Director is indeed rather amateurish." Liang Chao looked down upon the quality of the letter.

Liu Bing said, "By your logic, Director Kong is indeed involved in these matters, but compared to the volume of funds he handles, these issues are insignificant."

Liang Chao knew well that Liu Bing and Kong Zhengyi maintained a facade of harmony while harboring mutual distrust. Hearing Liu’s tone, it seemed he genuinely hoped Kong would be implicated. Liang Chao tentatively suggested, "There are many experts in accounting within the Finance Bureau. If they truly wanted to falsify records, it would be very difficult for outsiders to detect. With this letter in hand, they could easily balance the books in a short time. The Provincial Commission would find no problems."

Liu Bing nodded and spoke earnestly. "Director Liang, I understand you. The comrades in the Finance Bureau have summarized three points about you. First, you are proficient in your field. You are a professional graduate, having served as Executive Deputy Director for seven years, Deputy Director for three years, and with experience as a section chief and clerk, you have worked in the Finance Bureau for eighteen years. You are a young veteran."

Liang Chao humbly replied, "I wouldn't say I am proficient, only that I am familiar with the work."

"Second, you are honest and clean in office, which is recognized by the masses…"

"Third, you can unite your colleagues, unlike certain people who are arrogant and domineering."

"A comrade with both virtue and talent like you should have been placed in a more important position long ago."

Liang Chao understood clearly that Liu Bing was making an implicit promise of promotion.

Liu Bing suddenly became serious. "The Finance Bureau is a unit that manages money. You must remember one phrase: 'Do not do evil because it is small; do not neglect good because it is minor.' Members of your leadership team must lead by example. I have a request for you here, which is also a special privilege. For any major or minor matters in the Finance Bureau, you may bypass others and report directly to me. If you fail to report significant matters, it will be considered a dereliction of duty."

This was a bait thrown by Liu Bing. Liang Chao did not care whether the bait was hot to handle. He responded firmly, "Please rest assured, Mayor Liu. I know what I should do."

At this moment, Liang Chao had placed his bet on Liu Bing, who was much younger than Zhou Changquan.

Back at the Finance Bureau, Kong Zhengyi did not conclude his meeting until 11:30. He called over Lao Lü, the Office Director. "I heard Director Hou’s wife gave birth this morning. Prepare a red envelope. We will go to the hospital to visit together."

Lao Lü asked, "How much should the red envelope contain?"

"Six thousand six hundred and sixty. It’s an auspicious number."

Lao Lü had been the Office Director of the Finance Bureau for many years and enjoyed Kong Zhengyi’s trust. Within the bureau, his words carried more weight than those of an ordinary deputy director. Within ten minutes, he had prepared the red envelope and flower baskets.

"Director Kong, you are going personally?" For major and minor matters concerning Zhou Changquan’s former secretary, Kong Zhengyi had always assigned Lao Lü to handle them, never going himself. Today, he was actually going to the hospital in person. Therefore, for the sake of caution, Lao Lü asked again.

"Stop nagging. Go to the hospital first, then treat Secretary Huang to lunch at the Finance and Tax Hotel."

Upon arriving at the Municipal Hospital, the obstetrics nurses saw two men carrying flowers. Without waiting for questions, they pointed to the family ward on the left. "Director Hou is in Room 315."

Just as they reached the door, they heard the loud cries of a newborn baby. Kong Zhengyi and Lao Lü entered the ward and saw over a dozen flower baskets, along with five or six familiar faces.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Kong Zhengyi asked.

"It’s a girl." Hou Weidong looked haggard, but an unmistakable smile shone through his fatigue.

Kong Zhengyi personally handed the red envelope to Hou Weidong.

At that moment, Zhu Yan and Jiang Yuxin walked in carrying flower baskets. After brief greetings, Kong Zhengyi shook hands with Zhu Yan. "Mayor Zhu, congratulations." Zhu Yan smiled. "I cannot be called Mayor yet; I am only the Acting Mayor."

Kong Zhengyi said, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "Mayor Zhu, when will you issue the transfer order? Old Kong is willing to serve Mayor Zhu with utmost loyalty."

(End of Chapter 415)