Chapter 531

The secretary only raised two points, but everyone took them seriously, each person silently considering how to put the secretary's instructions into practice at work.

Entities: secretary (Municipal Party Secretary? Actually generic "secretary" but refers to Lu Fan later). Not a specific name. We'll not list generic title unless it's a specific named title like "Municipal Party Secretary". But we have glossary for Municipal Party Secretary. Here just secretary ambiguous. We'll not list.

Lu Fan went on: "The third point is rather general; it reflects my thoughts on education and comes from the heart. The Education Bureau should work out the details."

Entities: Lu Fan (person's name), Education Bureau (in glossary).

Comrades, Nanyuan's education development is at a critical stage. No amount of emphasis on education is excessive, and no level of investment is too great. We must strengthen responsibility, increase efforts, and take concrete steps to high‑level promote the construction of 'Beautiful Education,' so that Nanyuan becomes even better because of Beautiful Education.

Entities: Nanyuan (place name), Beautiful Education (slogan). Education sector is generic.

Nanyuan's goal for high‑level construction of Beautiful Education is: by 2026, achieve major progress in providing quality education for all; city‑wide coverage of high‑quality preschool education to exceed 90%; coverage of high‑quality senior secondary education to exceed 90%; 100% of districts and counties to become national models of balanced, high‑quality compulsory education; higher education to make breakthrough progress, and to run well Zhang Zhongjing National Medical University, Nanyang Normal University, and Nanyang University of Science and Technology.

Entities: Nanyuan, Beautiful Education, Zhang Zhongjing National Medical University, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang University of Science and Technology. Also city‑wide is generic.

Comrades, 'Beautiful Education' is not just about leading in indicators; more importantly, it must be reflected in the sense of gain among the broad masses. It should be education that fosters students' healthy growth, teachers' professional happiness, people's sense of fairness, and service to social progress. Whether it embodies teaching without discrimination and equal treatment, and whether it teaches according to aptitude and yields real results—ultimately, only education that truly satisfies the people qualifies as Beautiful Education.

Entities: Beautiful Education. Others are generic.

Education quality and education equity have always attracted attention. We must strive to ensure everyone enjoys high‑quality education fairly. This year we will carry out the 'Three Governances,' imposing the strictest oversight ever on school‑choice fever, reducing the burden on primary and secondary students, and rectifying chaos in off‑campus training.

Entities: Three Governances, School Selection Fever.

The saying 'Everyone says quality education is good, but they can't forget test scores' has become a widespread social reality. Despite years of burden reduction, students, parents, and even teachers remain overly stressed. Yet when homework is truly reduced, some parents complain that schools are 'letting things slip.' Education follows its own laws: we must avoid leaving students with no burden or pressure, while also avoiding excessive burden and pressure. The key is getting the balance right. You are the helmsmen and experts of Nanyuan's education sector; you need to study this issue concretely and propose feasible solutions.

Entities: Nanyuan education sector.

How do we build a high‑quality teaching workforce? Teaching is the most sacred profession under the sun; society should hold teachers in high esteem and show them extra care. We must provide teachers with better benefits, higher honor, and greater room for development.

No specific named entities.

Regarding improving teachers' remuneration, finance will perfect the linkage mechanism adjusting teachers' and civil servants' salaries, improve the performance‑based pay distribution mechanism, increase support for frontline backbone teachers, class advisors, and rural teachers, and establish a multi‑channel housing security mechanism for young teachers; the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government will issue specific opinions.

Entities: Municipal Party Committee (in glossary), City Government (in glossary). Also frontline backbone teachers are generic.

Financial matters will be handled by the finance department; no matter how much is invested in education, the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government will not be vague. Your task is to ensure implementation, as I often say: judge heroes by actual performance, promote officials based on merit—let the capable rise, the average step aside, the mediocre be demoted, and the incompetent be removed.

Entities: Municipal Party Committee, City Government (already listed).

Vice Mayor Ma Caihong concluded: "The secretary's important speech is lofty and far‑reaching, rich in content, profound in thought, and sincere in feeling. We must adopt higher standards, greater effort, and concrete measures to pursue new development and breakthroughs in Nanyuan's education. Below I will elaborate on three points in implementing the secretary's instructions."

Entities: Vice Mayor (in glossary), Ma Caihong, Nanyuan Education. Also secretary is generic.

After the meeting ended, the Education Bureau sprang into action; Bureau Chief Ma Yang personally deployed and participated, formulating a work plan and detailing measures to implement Secretary Lu's speech.

Entities: Education Bureau, Bureau Chief (generic), Ma Yang. (Lu Secretary is generic and refers to Lu Fan, not listed.)

All counties and districts immediately convened their standing committees to convey Secretary Lu's speech, placing education at the top of the agenda and especially emphasizing this year's college entrance exam results, since no one wants their political advancement hindered by exam performance.

Entities: all counties (generic), Standing Committee (generic), National College Entrance Exam (generic).

The Dengzhou Municipal Party Secretary and the Civil Affairs Bureau Chief arrived at the Discipline Inspection Committee feeling uneasy, and the situation grew increasingly strange, even bewildering.

Entities: Dengzhou Municipal Party Secretary, Civil Affairs Bureau Chief (generic), Discipline Inspection Committee (in glossary). Also Dengzhou (place name).

Because they had been talked to for three days, on the first day the conversation was still normal, revolving around work adjustments; although the atmosphere was somewhat serious, it was still within expectations.

No specific named entities.

However, starting from the second day, the situation completely spiraled out of control. The Discipline Inspection Committee suddenly shifted the topic to dereliction of duty and corruption, leaving the two leaders dumbfounded. What they found hardest to accept was that their treatment was now hardly different from detention: the room had no windows, the light was dim, and the air felt heavy and oppressive.

Entities: Discipline Inspection Committee (in glossary). Also detention is generic.

Faced with this sudden change, the two felt panicked and wronged: "We came to report problems, so how did we suddenly become the defendants instead of the plaintiffs?"

No specific named entities.

At this point they felt fear and deep regret for having gone to the Municipal Party Committee to cause trouble; compared with being investigated by the Discipline Inspection Committee, being a Science and Technology Association chair or a researcher is a cushy job!

Entities: Municipal Party Committee (in glossary), Discipline Inspection Committee (in glossary), Science and Technology Association Chair, Researcher (generic). Also Science and Technology Association is generic.

The Municipal Discipline Inspection Committee secretary, holding a stack of documents, sat opposite Dengzhou Municipal Party Secretary Li Xuecai, fixed him with a scrutinizing gaze, and said slowly: "Corrupt officials who harm the people are like street rats that everyone shouts at. Li Xuecai, based on what we've learned these past days, your reputation in the city is terrible! Let's talk about the land transfer for the solar power plant, as well as the city‑area illumination project and the coal‑to‑gas demonstration project—weren't those your doing? Don't deny it; your Development and Reform Commission director and Energy Office director are right next door. You understand the policy; I hope you cooperate with the committee's inspection and investigation to get to the bottom of this."

Entities: Municipal Discipline Inspection Committee Secretary, Dengzhou Municipal Party Secretary, Li Xuecai, Solar Power Plant (generic), City Area Illumination Project (generic), Coal‑to‑Gas Demonstration Project (generic), Development and Reform Commission Director (generic), Energy Office Director (generic). Also Dengzhou (place name).

Hearing these words, Li Xuecai coughed while his heart sank to the bottom; he never imagined he would be 'lifting a stone only to drop it on his own foot'—heaven‑given faults may be forgiven, but self‑inflicted ones cannot be survived.

Entities: Li Xuecai.

After composing himself, Li Xuecai said with deep regret: "Secretary Du, I fully recognize my mistakes; please give me another chance through the organization and you. I am willing to work at the Municipal Science and Technology Association, and I will certainly apologize to Secretary Lu."

Entities: Li Xuecai, Du Secretary (generic, later Du Wenlong), Municipal Science and Technology Association, Lu Secretary (generic).

Du Wenlong said coldly: "Li Xuecai, I see you still don't grasp the situation. Secretary Lu isn't so petty; he won't fall out with anyone. I am now investigating your corruption problems—don't harbor any luck‑based hopes; coming forward voluntarily is the only way out. The Discipline Inspection Committee will handle you leniently under the principle of 'punish past to prevent future, heal the sick to save the person.' If you continue to deceive and oppose the organization, repeatedly missing the chances it gives you, that's just piling mistakes on mistakes, and you'll end up in an abyss."

Entities: Du Wenlong, Li Xuecai, Lu Secretary (generic), Discipline Inspection Committee (in glossary).

I've said everything that needs to be said; whether you confess or not, these issues can be uncovered—tens of thousands of yuan could land you a prison sentence, it's up to you to weigh. Since I joined the Discipline Inspection Committee, I've handled over a thousand cases, and never once has there been a 'blank shot' (a baseless accusation).

Entities: Discipline Inspection Committee (in glossary).

These words made Li Xuecai break out in a cold sweat; he certainly knows he cannot withstand scrutiny—after more than two decades in politics, his flaws and loopholes are too many! But who could really stand up to investigation? It's his own muddled thinking that led him to argue with Secretary Lu, as if there were that much sense to argue about. Now he can only become among Nanyuan cadres a troublemaking stick, a conspicuous bundle, a dragging leg, a protruding bird, a harmful horse, and a warning chicken.

Entities: Li Xuecai, Lu Secretary (generic), Nanyuan cadres (generic).

On February 29, after approval by the Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee and the Nanyuan Municipal Party Committee, the Municipal Discipline Inspection and Supervision Commission launched an investigation into the serious violations of discipline and law by the former Dengzhou Municipal Party Secretary Li X

Entities: Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee, Nanyuan Municipal Party Committee, Municipal Discipline Inspection and Supervision Commission, Dengzhou City, Former Municipal Party Secretary (generic), Li Xuecai, Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau Chief (generic).

After investigation, the two violated political discipline, resisted organizational review; violated the spirit of the Eight Regulations, violated work discipline, improperly interfered in engineering projects, used their positions to seek benefits for others, illegally accepted money and valuables, the amount involved was especially huge, and they are suspected of bribery.

No specific named entities.

As leading cadres, they lost their ideals and beliefs, abandoned their original aspirations and mission, sought personal gain through power, knowingly broke the law; the offense is serious, the impact is bad, and they should be dealt with severely.

No specific.

After the two were investigated, it sounded an alarm for all leading cadres in Nanyuan City; "lying-flat" cadres can't remain idle, and "do-nothing" cadres have no future.

Entities: Nanyuan City, lying-flat style (coined term), maybe do-nothing (generic).

Soon, under Lu Fan's direction, the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission launched a targeted special rectification of "lying-flat" cadres; the effects quickly became apparent, leading cadres' sense of responsibility and initiative strengthened, the spirit of "who else if not me" grew stronger, and the atmosphere of competition and striving to be first intensified.

Entities: Municipal Discipline Inspection Committee (in glossary), Lu Fan, lying-flat style.

On March 1, the provincial authorities issued a notice on several measures to support Nanyuan's development as a provincial sub-central city, supporting Nanyuan City in its push to reach a trillion-yuan GDP.

Entities: Provincial (generic), Nanyuan, Nanyuan City, Provincial Sub-central City (generic).

The document clearly proposes supporting Nanyuan's implementation of an innovation-driven development strategy from 18 aspects, and high-quality construction of a provincial sub-central city led by the economy.

Entities: Nanyuan, Provincial Sub-central City (generic).

After the opinion was issued, all departments of Nanyuan City, under the leadership of Municipal Party Secretary Lu Fan and Mayor Su Xiang Hai, concentrated efforts to overcome challenges with the provincial government and various bureaus, seeking projects, policies, and support, and achieved significant results.

Entities: Nanyuan City, Municipal Party Secretary (generic but specific person Lu Fan), Mayor (generic but specific person Su Xiang Hai), Provincial Government (generic), various departments (generic).

On March 5, the Provincial Natural Resources Department issued several measures to support Nanyuan's construction as a provincial sub-central city, proposing support policies from eight aspects including territorial spatial planning, land element guarantees, and mineral resource development and utilization; serving Nanyuan's strategic positioning of "Three Zones, One Center, One Highlands," and helping Nanyuan accelerate the construction of a provincial sub-central city.

Entities: Provincial Natural Resources Department, Nanyuan, Three Zones, One Center, One Highlands (coined term), Provincial Sub-central City (generic).

On March 6, the Provincial Human Resources and Social Security Department issued several measures to support Nanyuan's construction as a provincial sub-central city, further increasing the delegation of authority for professional title evaluations; supporting Nanyuan in achieving autonomous assessment of intermediate professional titles; supporting the faculty team construction of Zhang Zhongjing National Medical University, at the university's inception, giving preferential allocation of professional and technical positions to the faculty team; during the university's operation, providing support to increase the proportion of intermediate and senior professional and technical positions; encouraging Nanyuan to explore social security management that supports economic development, with strong support in platform construction technology and funding.

Entities: Provincial Human Resources and Social Security Department, Nanyuan, Zhang Zhongjing National Medical University.

On March 7, the Provincial Commerce Department issued several measures to support Nanyang's construction as a provincial sub-central city.

Entities: Provincial Commerce Department, Nanyang (place name), Provincial Sub-central City (generic).

On March 8, the Provincial Culture and Tourism Department issued an opinion on supporting the promotion of cultural-tourism integration to accelerate the construction of a sub-central city, clearly promoting high-quality development of Nanyuan's cultural tourism industry from eight aspects.

Entities: Provincial Culture and Tourism Department, Nanyuan, Cultural Tourism Industry (generic).

The Provincial Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development issued the "Opinions on Supporting the Construction of a Sub-Central City in Nanyuan City", promoting high-quality development of housing and urban-rural construction in Nanyuan, supporting Nanyuan's construction of a sponge city, increasing support for the renovation of old residential communities in Nanyuan's towns and cities, bringing all qualified old communities into the central and provincial-level old community renovation subsidy scope to achieve renovation of all that should be renovated, and supporting seismic retrofitting of rural housing in areas within Nanyuan with seismic fortification intensity of 7 or above…