Chapter 432: The Car Accident (Part 2)

Chapter 432: The Car Accident (Part 2)

Zhou Changquan was well aware that the primary reason Zhang Yongtai had ventured into the mountains was to enforce order in the mining sector. The phrase "To die before victory is won, heroes’ tears wet their robes" echoed repeatedly in his mind, casting a heavy pall over his spirits. He closed the office door, refusing to see anyone except a select few: Huang Zidi, Hong Ang, and Du Zhengdong.

Uncharacteristically, Zhou Changquan did not sit behind his desk but settled onto the guest sofa. "I never expected Yongtai to leave us so soon," he murmured to himself.

He had quit smoking for some time, but after a moment of silence on the sofa, he said, "Xiao Hou, bring me a cigarette."

Hou Weidong sat beside Zhou Changquan, accompanying him in silence as they smoked. Glancing casually at Zhou’s profile, Hou Weidong noticed a few strands of white hair hidden within the thick black locks. He had never noticed them before, but sitting this close, they seemed stark and jarring.

Soon, Hong Ang entered. Seeing Hou Weidong and Zhou Changquan smoking together, he paused briefly. "Secretary Zhou, I have drafted a preliminary list for the funeral committee. Please review it."

Zhou Changquan held a cigarette, two puffs taken, and glanced at the list. He nodded. "Proceed with this list."

Hong Ang had arranged for a high-level committee, the highest规格 (specification) in Shazhou in recent times. Zhou Changquan was satisfied. Usually decisive and efficient, he seemed unusually verbose today. "Yongtai was conducting field research in the mountains; this is a sacrifice in the line of duty. He is a model for all cadres in Shazhou, and he deserves this level of honor."

"Then I will notify the propaganda department to thoroughly document Secretary Zhang Yongtai’s outstanding deeds," Hong Ang suggested. "We could also invite reporters from the provincial newspaper to cover the story."

Zhou Changquan shook his head. "Hold off on the publicity for now. Wait until the Public Security Bureau issues their official conclusion. The timing is not yet ripe."

Zhang Yongtai had reported directly to Zhou Changquan last month regarding Chengjin County, proposing a crackdown on illegal mining operations within the county. Zhou Changquan had supported the initiative, knowing full well the resistance it would face. Thus, upon hearing of the accident, his immediate reaction had been to order the Public Security Bureau to investigate the cause.

After sitting on the sofa for a while longer, Zhou Changquan’s spirits gradually lifted. He extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray and said to Hou Weidong, "Let’s hold the Standing Committee meeting a day early. There are several urgent matters to discuss."

Having smoked half a cigarette, Zhou Changquan slowly returned to his usual composure. He added to Hou Weidong, "Have you organized the relocation requests submitted by the various departments? This needs to be discussed at the Standing Committee meeting. Bring them to me by this afternoon."

Hou Weidong acknowledged the order. "Xiao Deng is currently organizing them. I will go urge him on."

As he left the office, his eyes met Hong Ang’s. Both men’s gazes held a lingering, unspoken complexity.

While the top leaders of the Shazhou Municipal Party Committee were busy managing the aftermath of Zhang Yongtai’s death, an ordinary nine-passenger minibus departed from the provincial capital. Leading the team was Ning Que, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection. Accompanying him were Chen Zaixi, Director of the First Supervision and Inspection Office of the Provincial Commission, a section chief from the Organization Department, and several staff members.

Their arrival was discreet and swift. Upon reaching Shazhou, they avoided contact with anyone else and, according to prior arrangements, checked into a guesthouse at a state-owned factory. Although small, the guesthouse was quiet and clean.

Once everything was settled, Chen Zaixi sought out Ning Que privately. After hesitating for a moment, he asked, "Should we approach Zhou Changquan first?"

"Secretary Gao has already given instructions. Secretary Zhou has strong party spirit. There is no need to doubt that."

Chen Zaixi remained hesitant. "But he is involved in this matter, after all."

"This is the protocol set by Secretary Gao. Do we need to question his judgment?"

Chen Zaixi rubbed his famously bald head. "Still, I feel something is not quite right about this approach."

Ning Que cut him off. "This is discipline. No need to discuss it further."

"Very well. I will have Xiao Ma drive us there." Although Chen Zaixi said nothing more, he was not entirely convinced. In Shazhou, such matters had traditionally been handled by Deputy Secretary Liao Ping. This time, Ning Que was leading the team. Ning Que was a veteran of Lingxi Province with warm relations across various factions, making him arguably not the ideal candidate for this specific case. Yet, "Bai the Impartial Judge," Gao Xianglin, had specifically chosen him.

Upon arriving at the Municipal Party Committee compound, Ning Que first called Ji Daolin. He stated only that he had business to discuss with Zhou Changquan, without revealing the nature of the matter. Ji Daolin, having served as Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission for several years, understood the rules. He did not ask further questions but called Zhou Changquan. "Deputy Secretary Ning Que of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection has arrived in Shazhou and wishes to see you."

Zhou Changquan’s mind was still preoccupied with Zhang Yongtai’s tragedy. The arrival of Discipline Inspection officials rarely signaled good news, and he felt a surge of irritation. However, as the Party Secretary governing millions, he had little freedom to express personal emotions. While ordinary people could fear, grieve, or mourn in the face of disaster, Zhou Changquan could not afford to show such vulnerability, at least not in front of his subordinates.

"Ning Lao is here. We are all familiar with each other. You can receive him."

"He has important matters to discuss. He insists on seeing you."

Zhou Changquan’s heart skipped a beat. After a brief pause, he said, "In that case, please invite Secretary Ning to my office." He was quite familiar with Ning Que. Ning Que maintained good relations with high-ranking officials but was uncompromising when handling cases—a formidable figure. Gao Xianglin sending him to Shazhou meant that a significant official in Shazhou was about to fall.

One bad event after another stirred a fire of anger in Zhou Changquan’s heart.

Ning Que arrived with remarkable speed, climbing the stairs to the office in less than ten minutes after the call.

Entering the office, Ning Que spoke in a casual, boisterous tone, "Old Zhou, why the long face? Not welcoming an old friend?" He then naturally took a seat opposite Zhou Changquan’s desk.

Zhou Changquan realized immediately that something major was happening. Maintaining his composure, he said to Hou Weidong, "Xiao Hou, Secretary Ning has made significant contributions to the Maodong Cigarette Factory. Please offer him a taste of the new products from the Shazhou Cigarette Factory. Perhaps he can provide free advertising for us when he returns to the provincial capital."

Hou Weidong smiled and took a pack of "White Board" cigarettes from his drawer. "Secretary Ning, this is a new release from the Shazhou Cigarette Factory. The quality is excellent."

"I’ll have one," Zhou Changquan said, taking a cigarette and lighting it.

Ning Que’s round, plump face lit up with a smile. "I heard Secretary Zhou had successfully quit smoking. Why have you started again? Did you break your vow for my sake? Ning the Fat Man feels honored, though perhaps undeservedly."

Zhou Changquan took a deep drag and said solemnly, "Secretary Zhang Yongtai of Chengjin County was involved in a car accident. All four people in the vehicle died in the line of duty. The matter has been reported to the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government."

Chen Zaixi had entered the room and noticed the unusual expression between Zhou Changquan’s brows. He had initially assumed it was related to the case and worried about Zhou’s attitude. Hearing that it was about Secretary Zhang Yongtai’s death, he felt a wave of relief.

After the pleasantries, Ning Que took a document from his briefcase. The smile vanished from his face, and his round eyes narrowed slightly. "Secretary Zhou, this is material from the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection. It concerns Kong Zhengyi of the Shazhou Finance Bureau."

Zhou Changquan frowned as he read the documents. For a long time, he said nothing.

Ning Que, an experienced investigator, showed no impatience. He casually picked up the pack of "White Board" cigarettes on the desk, took one, and tossed another to Zhou Changquan.

Two streams of light smoke rose curling from the desk, sometimes merging, sometimes separating.

After entering and shaking hands with Zhou Changquan, Chen Zaixi sat quietly to the side, listening to the two leaders converse. While Zhou Changquan was looking down at the documents, Chen Zaixi cast a quick glance at Hou Weidong.

Hou Weidong sat nearby with a grave expression, avoiding eye contact.

Chen Zaixi thought to himself, Hou Weidong is at the peak of his career rise. I wonder if he is involved in these dirty dealings in Shazhou. If Zhou Changquan falls, as the dedicated secretary, he will likely not be able to remain unscathed. He continued, Even if he is not involved, if Zhou Changquan is implicated, Hou Weidong’s future prospects will undoubtedly be severely affected.

Countless thoughts flashed through Zhou Changquan’s mind, but he decisively pushed them aside. "Since the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection has sufficient evidence, and Secretary Gao has given clear instructions, the Municipal Party Committee will fully cooperate."

Ning Que’s round eyes narrowed again. "Secretary Gao’s intention is to take Kong Zhengyi to Lingxi for 'Shuanggui' (mandatory questioning). We intend to use Kong Zhengyi to fully confess the issues."

Chen Zaixi observed Zhou Changquan closely. According to the whistleblower letters and information gathered by the Provincial Commission, Kong Zhengyi, Director of the Finance Bureau, had close ties with Party Secretary Zhou Changquan. Based on his years of investigative experience, the best approach in such a situation was to secretly take Kong Zhengyi away and then notify the Shazhou Municipal Party Committee. Any slight misstep could alert the suspects, complicating a simple matter.

However, "Bai the Impartial Judge" Gao Xianglin had insisted on briefing Zhou Changquan beforehand. Chen Zaixi could only execute the order, though he did not fully understand the reasoning.

Zhou Changquan said, "Proceed accordingly. Have Hou Weidong call Kong Zhengyi and ask him to come to the Small Guesthouse. You will take him from there."

Hou Weidong knew something was happening but was unclear on the details. Hearing that Kong Zhengyi was to be subjected to Shuanggui, his heart skipped a beat. He looked at Zhou Changquan’s expression, received the nod, and turned to leave for his own office.

Chen Zaixi glanced at Ning Que, signaling with his eyes. In disciplinary investigations, the greatest fear was leaks. He was genuinely worried that Hou Weidong might use coded language in the other office to warn Kong Zhengyi. He stood up and said, "Director Hou, why didn’t you come to the Party School last week? The professor invited from Lingxi University gave a very精彩 (brilliant) lecture."

Ning Que understood Chen Zaixi’s intent and did not stop him.

Zhou Changquan also understood. His expression remained calm, and he showed no sign of interfering.

***

Chapter 432: The Car Accident (Part 3)

Hou Weidong understood Chen Zaixi’s intent as well. He checked his watch and asked calmly, "What time will Kong Zhengyi arrive at the Small Guesthouse?"

Chen Zaixi replied immediately, "In fifteen minutes."

After making the call, Ning Que exchanged a few polite words and left the Municipal Party Committee with Ji Daolin, heading to the Small Guesthouse to wait for Kong Zhengyi. On the way, Chen Zaixi still felt uneasy. "If someone warns Kong Zhengyi in advance, things will become complicated." Seeing Ning Que’s confident demeanor and recalling Zhou Changquan’s attitude, he decided not to raise the issue.

When Kong Zhengyi was successfully brought into the car, a large stone dropped from Chen Zaixi’s heart. He secretly admired Gao Xianglin, "Bai the Impartial Judge," for his remote command.

The whistleblower letters had implicated Zhou Changquan, and the allegations carried significant weight. When formulating the plan, Gao Xianglin had emphasized the need to fully trust the Shazhou Municipal Party Committee—in other words, to trust Party Secretary Zhou Changquan. Now, it seemed Gao Xianglin’s insight was indeed sharp. Chen Zaixi admitted to himself, I was being too suspicious.

After leaving Shazhou territory, Ning Que called Zhou Changquan’s office. "Secretary Zhou, I have taken Kong Zhengyi to Lingxi. Thank you for your support of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection."

Zhou Changquan replied, "This is the duty of the Shazhou Municipal Party Committee. There is no need for thanks." Having just lost a county party secretary and now seeing the Finance Bureau Director subjected to Shuanggui, his mood was heavily suppressed. He exchanged a few perfunctory words with Ning Que and hung up.

Hou Weidong had been silently waiting in his office. He had expected Zhou Changquan to stay in his office for a while, but unexpectedly, Zhou soon said, "Ask Huang Zidi to come to my office."

Huang Zidi was stunned to hear that Kong Zhengyi had been subjected to Shuanggui by the Provincial Commission. His mouth hung open for a long time. "What happened?" He had a good relationship with Kong Zhengyi. Yesterday, while drinking together, he had even encouraged Kong to strive for the position of Vice Mayor. Kong had been tempted by the idea. He never imagined that today, Kong would fall from heaven to hell. Not only had the Vice Mayor position become an illusion, but his personal freedom was now in jeopardy.

Zhou Changquan said calmly, "I want to hear the truth. Will Kong Zhengyi’s case implicate you?"

Huang Zidi did not expect Zhou Changquan to be so direct. After a moment of thought, he said, "Over the years, Old Kong has exhausted himself for Shazhou’s fiscal revenue. Who would have expected this result?" He sighed and added, "I have a good relationship with Old Kong. We play cards together in our spare time. Additionally, some expenses were handled by Old Kong." He emphasized, "These expenses were all for official business. I have not received any personal benefits from Old Kong."

Zhou Changquan was already aware of what Huang Zidi was saying. "It is good that you are clear. With Kong Zhengyi under Shuanggui, I estimate others will be dragged in. This will cause some turmoil in Shazhou’s political landscape. As the Secretary in charge of organization, you need to prepare in advance."

"The stability and unity of Shazhou are hard-won. We must not let these matters affect the overall development of Shazhou."

Huang Zidi said, "Since this case was personally instructed by Secretary Gao of the Provincial Commission, Kong Zhengyi will definitely not be released. The position of Finance Bureau Director is crucial and cannot be left vacant. There are two options: one is to select a deputy director to preside over the work; the other is to appoint a new director."

Zhou Changquan rejected the first option. "Kong Zhengyi is under Shuanggui, and it may involve other members of the leadership team. The first option is not feasible. My intention is to choose someone from outside the finance system to serve as the Finance Bureau Director."

Huang Zidi mentally reviewed the familiar department-level cadres. "County Mayor Ji Haiyang of Yiyang County is upright and has rich work experience."

Ji Haiyang had always worked in Yiyang County, having served as Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee. He had a good relationship with Huang Zidi. More importantly, he was not part of Liu Bing’s faction. Although he was a county mayor, he was not close to Liu Bing. This was a point Zhou Changquan valued highly, a hidden criterion in his cadre selection.

Huang Zidi had once been the chief steward of the Municipal Party Committee and had served under Zhou Changquan for a long time. He understood Zhou’s psychology accurately. Proposing Ji Haiyang was highly targeted.

Zhou Changquan hesitated slightly. The position of Finance Bureau Director was critical, and Ji Haiyang was not his first choice, nor even a backup. However, Kong Zhengyi had served as Finance Bureau Director for a long time and was entangled with most bureau and department leaders. If the newly appointed director was also implicated in Kong Zhengyi’s case, it would be a political joke for the Shazhou Municipal Party Committee.

Ji Haiyang had always worked at the county level and had not been mayor for long. From this perspective, he was a suitable candidate to take over the Finance Bureau.

Zhou Changquan quickly weighed the pros and cons of appointing Ji Haiyang and agreed with Huang Zidi’s suggestion.

His agreement with Ji Haiyang stemmed from deeper considerations. Kong Zhengyi had been Finance Bureau Director for many years and was highly skilled in his business. This time, being subjected to Shuanggui was undoubtedly the result of internal betrayal. "Fortresses are always breached from within"—this was a lesson learned through blood and tears. If a deputy director were to preside over the work and that person was an insider, the consequences would be disastrous, potentially making things worse.

Zhou Changquan believed he could withstand inspection and was open and selfless. However, he maintained a degree of suspicion toward his subordinates. "Water that is too clear has no fish"—this was his experience in politics and the reason he often turned a blind eye to minor issues. Of course, as Party Secretary, he strictly controlled how murky the water could become. Kong Zhengyi had once been his most trusted person. If the allegations in the whistleblower letter were verified, he would absolutely not protect him. First, as a Communist Party member with over twenty years of party age, he could not tolerate such serious violations of party discipline and government integrity. If not handled seriously, the entire cadre team in Shazhou would be infected. Second, Kong Zhengyi’s behavior had exceeded the level of slightly murky water; it had severely polluted the water, crossing the bottom line of his tolerance.

However, as the Party Secretary of Shazhou, Zhou Changquan did not want to see too many cadres in Shazhou involved in Kong Zhengyi’s case. Therefore, having Ji Haiyang preside over the Finance Bureau could prevent anyone from using this incident to destabilize Shazhou. Stability and unity were necessary conditions for local development.

With just the two of them discussing, Ji Haiyang’s fate was decided.

Hou Weidong thought to himself, It’s like a pie falling from the sky. Ji Haiyang certainly never expected to莫名其妙 (inexplicably) become the Director of the Shazhou Finance Bureau. Although the Finance Bureau Director was at the same administrative level as a county mayor, the importance was incomparable. Finance Bureau Directors were usually the confidants of powerful leaders and held significant financial power.

"When Secretary Zhou came to work in Shazhou, Huang Zidi was only the Deputy Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee. In seven or eight years, he rose to become the Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee. He truly has his unique strengths. His suggestions often contain some private interests, yet they always perfectly fit Secretary Zhou’s requirements. That is true capability." Hou Weidong was quite impressed by the timing of Huang Zidi’s proposal.

Huang Zidi and Hong Ang were two different types of people. Hong Ang was like the regular army, always engaging opponents openly and fairly. Huang Zidi, however, resembled anti-government guerrillas, excelling in ambushes and surprise attacks, winning through unconventional means. Personally, Hou Weidong preferred Hong Ang. Although guerrillas were formidable, they were often chased by the regular army. Strength was always the natural enemy of conspiracy.

"Let’s hold the Standing Committee meeting early, scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. Add the matter of Ji Haiyang to the agenda. The rest remains unchanged." Before Huang Zidi left, Zhou Changquan added, "You must personally talk to Zhao Dong about this, letting him understand the basic situation. Tomorrow, he will raise the issue according to procedure."

In Shazhou, as long as Zhou Changquan nodded, things were done. He rarely asked about details. Today, however, he proactively mentioned talking to Zhao Dong. Although it was just a sentence, Huang Zidi keenly sensed the difference. "Rest assured, Secretary Zhou. Zhao Dong is political and principled."

Hou Weidong had not yet grasped the hidden meaning in their conversation.

After Huang Zidi left, Zhou Changquan opened the folder sent by Xiao Deng from the Secretariat. It contained relocation applications from over a dozen municipal departments. After reviewing them, he arranged, "Ask Bu Haiyun to come to my office."

Bu Haiyun was a typical member of Zhou’s faction and the spokesperson for Zhou Changquan’s line in the Municipal Government. Upon receiving the call, he arrived quickly. The two discussed the relocation of the four major leadership teams. Zhou Changquan then briefly briefed Bu Haiyun on the Kong Zhengyi matter.

Bu Haiyun was also startled. He immediately said, "We must quickly identify a candidate for the Finance Bureau Director. The government’s work absolutely requires a good director."

"How about Ji Haiyang?"

Bu Haiyun pondered. "Well, yes, County Mayor Ji is a very suitable candidate."

Secretary Zhou is signaling to the Standing Committee members, forming a united front among the majority of the members in advance, Hou Weidong speculated. Does Secretary Zhou anticipate波折 (setbacks) in the appointment of the Finance Bureau Director? If so, he might also ask Du Zhengdong, Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, to come to the office.

As expected, after a while, Zhou Changquan ordered, "Ask Du Zhengdong to come to my office."

When Du Zhengdong entered the office, he held the preliminary investigation materials regarding Zhang Yongtai’s car accident. He reported, "Secretary Zhou, the Municipal Bureau has dispatched elite forces to investigate the accident scene and invited experts for analysis. However, due to the severe damage to the vehicle, it is difficult to reach an accurate conclusion."

Zhou Changquan asked, "Is that the conclusion?"

Du Zhengdong was prepared. "If written as a formal conclusion on paper, it can only be 'driver error.' However, several experts analyzed that there is a sixty percent probability that the brakes were tampered with. Otherwise, an experienced driver would not make such a low-level mistake."

Hou Weidong was also startled by this statement. Du Zhengdong’s implication was clear: a county party secretary had been assassinated within Shazhou. If this news reached the media, it would be a sensational explosive story, severely damaging Shazhou’s political image.

Zhou Changquan’s expression was unpredictable. After a long silence, he said, "We must respect the experts’ conclusions. Since we cannot reach an accurate conclusion, it can only be recorded as death by car accident."

He turned to Hou Weidong. "At tomorrow’s Standing Committee meeting, add an item on how to promote Secretary Zhang Yongtai’s deeds throughout the province. A county party secretary who died at his post while striving for development deserves to be widely praised."