Chapter 556: Work Task Force

Provincial Party Committee Organization Department Deputy Minister and Civil Servant Bureau Director Lin Dian sat in his office, restless, wishing he could tear that "troublemaker" to pieces! He hadn't expected the matter to become this serious, and he was even more worried that Minister Lu was "covering him with thunder," a major taboo in official circles!

With no other recourse, Lin Dian went to Deputy Secretary Li Mingyang's office, voluntarily explained the truth, admitted his mistake, and asked the leader to give him a hand.

When he heard that the Organization Department Head circulating online was actually Lin Dian, Li Mingyang erupted in anger, scolding: "How am I supposed to speak of you? A dignified Provincial Party Committee Organization Department Deputy Minister, yet you can't even control that thing down in your crotch? If you must be found, find someone steadier; don't bring disaster upon yourself!"

"Now that it's come to this, what do you suggest we do? Lu Fan is currently suffering an undeserved injustice and an unwarranted disaster; I fear that if this continues, he will lose his temper!"

"Are you now scared of the meeting? Do you think Lu Fan is so easy to deal with? A young, capable cadre with boundless prospects like him cherishes his reputation; if you can't calm the online situation within a day or two, he will definitely act, and the consequences will be unpredictable!"

Lin Dian said, extremely annoyed, "Whatever it takes, let me get through this difficulty first; I'll be more disciplined from now on and will no longer act recklessly!"

Having been friends for years, the two have done many things together; their fortunes rise and fall together. Li Mingyang couldn't just stand by. After a moment of thought, he said, "You probably already know how to handle this; do everything you can to suppress it! I'll use my method, you use yours; now don't be stingy with money, it concerns your future and destiny!"

"Secretary, rest assured, I'll pay whatever amount is needed; just give me a figure."

As more and more videos spread online, the brutal footage became unbearable to watch; netizens are calling for it to be treated as attempted murder, saying its nature is too vile, disregarding law and life, showing no respect for life, and must be punished severely to serve as a warning!

We look forward to Huayuan Province's handling of the matter without disappointment! And keep follow‑up reporting; don't let everything revert once the buzz fades!

The female driver incident escalates, as if someone is fanning the flames, even pointing the blame directly at Lu Fan, drawing much attention.

Tang Bing was reviewing documents when the desk phone rang. She glanced at the number, quickly answered, and respectfully said, "Hello, Minister Cong Feng!"

"Comrade Tang Bing, the public opinion regarding the female driver incident must be handled carefully. Hong Tao just discussed with me; Huayuan must actively respond to public concerns, rectify and improve, fulfill its responsibilities, ensure the work is done properly, prevent the situation from escalating, and avoid innocent comrades being unjustly 'laid up'!"

Tang Bing replied immediately, "I sincerely accept the minister's criticism; Huayuan will definitely face the problem head‑on, pinpoint the root cause, apply precise effort, and swiftly resolve the online public opinion."

At the same time, father‑in‑law Li Mingzhou called, reminding Lu Fan not to ignore the dangers of public opinion, to prevent being hijacked or controlled by it, and to resolve the matter quickly and devote his energy to work.

Lu Fan received messages from many friends and colleagues, some full of worry, some offering strategies. While feeling everyone's concern, he realized he could no longer let public opinion run unchecked.

Just then, Office Director Tan Yiqiao came in to report; the Provincial Committee Office called, and Secretary Tang asked the minister to go over.

Ten minutes later, Lu Fan hurried to Secretary Tang Bing's office.

After entering, Tang Bing slowly raised her head and said bluntly, "The minister mentioned by that female driver should be Lin Dian, right?"

Lu Fan nodded and said, "It should be; the Public Security Department can retrieve the call records."

Tang Bing said, "You're at a critical juncture now, easily on the front line, so you must quickly quell the media storm and eliminate the risks and negative impact. Regarding this public opinion, how do you think it should be handled?"

Lu Fan had a prepared draft and replied, "The golden three principles for handling public opinion are timeliness, accuracy, and reasonable guidance. Secretary, that female driver is a public official; I recommend that the Discipline Inspection Committee establish a work task force to intervene in the investigation, unafraid to expose shortcomings, daring to correct errors, and strictly punish all disciplinary violations. Also, actively communicate with media and the public, provide factual evidence, clear up misunderstandings, and issue authoritative information through official channels to steer opinion positively."

Tang Bing thought for a moment and asked, "How should Lin Dian be dealt with?"

Lu Fan replied, "Secretary, this comrade has lost his ideals and strayed from his original mission; his official ethics are lacking, his bottom line broken, indulging in power‑money deals, repeatedly accepting gifts and cash; his private morals are poor, obsessed with power‑sex transactions, engaging in improper sexual relations with many, severely violating social and family virtues, and his external impact is very harmful—many call him the 'Philanderer Minister.' He is suspected of corruption and bribery, using his position to help others secure engineering contracts, disburse project funds, gain promotions, and pass civil service exams, illegally receiving property; the circumstances are serious and vile, making him the biggest rot in the Organization Department!"

These words directly reveal Lu Fan's stance, essentially sentencing Lin Dian to 'death'!

How could Tang Bing not know the relationship between Lin Dian and Li Mingyang? Weighing pros and cons, she chose to abandon Lin Dian, saying, "Then we'll proceed according to your suggestion!" After speaking, she pressed the call button, ordering the secretary to notify Discipline Inspection Committee Secretary Zhao Lingyun to come over.

"Lu Fan, the fourth quarter has begun; does Nanyuan have confidence to sprint toward a trillion‑GDP?"

"Secretary, there should be no problem; these two months are the corporate revenue settlement period, and key projects are accelerating. I estimate we can break the 300 billion mark, and the full year could reach about 1.1 trillion."

Tang Bing smiled, "The second trillion‑city is of great significance; many are watching and anticipating. Keep a close eye on it and ensure nothing goes wrong!"

"Secretary, rest assured, we will complete the task!"

"Lu Fan, to ensure overall stability, the handling of this public opinion ends with Lin Dian, to prevent contradictions from escalating and the situation from widening."

Lu Fan nodded, "I understand, I'll act according to the secretary's instructions."

A short while later, Zhao Lingyun pushed the door open, walked to the opposite side of Tang Bing, sat beside Lu Fan, and asked, "Secretary, what are the instructions?"

Tang Bing said, "The female driver's incident last night sparked online public opinion, causing some passivity and negative impact for Huayuan. Since it involves a public official, I suggest the Discipline Inspection Committee lead the formation of a work task force, with the Organization Department, Propaganda Department, Public Security Department, Internet Information Office, and Yingjun City cooperating."

The working group will not evade issues, will swiftly investigate the facts, actively communicate with the media, respond to netizen concerns, sincerely accept criticism, and resolve negative public opinion.

Do not lose temper, do not take a hardline stance, do not confront the media. If reports or leaks are one‑sided and inaccurate, causing significant adverse impact, the working group must not remain silent; it should promptly communicate with the journalist or whistleblower, request corrections or deletions, and issue a debunking notice to eliminate the harmful effect.

If corruption involving relevant personnel is involved, investigate it to the end, especially the net‑public's focus on the 'minister' issue! Go and communicate, and get to work quickly.

Zhao Lingyun replied, "Secretary, rest assured, I will make the work thorough, solid, and meticulous, ensuring timely, efficient, and steady handling of each of these public‑opinion incidents."

After leaving the secretary's office, Zhao Lingyun followed Lu Fan to the Organization Department; upon entering, he said, "I've got a general grasp of the matter, it should involve Lin Dian, right? How do you propose we handle it?"

Lu Fan replied, "Do whatever needs to be done, cite party regulations and disciplinary rules! Based solely on this public opinion, we can't even punish him, since the driver only mentioned him casually. My suggestion is to use this chance to investigate his other issues and try to bring him down!"

Zhao Lingyun nodded, "Sounds good, let Fang Yang take the lead; he's skilled at handling cases and is also your longtime subordinate, so he'll be proactive. You must stay alert to this public opinion; you can't endure turmoil, so suppress it quickly—I'm sure someone is fanning the flames!"

"Thanks for the concern, we're upright and not afraid of crooked shadows, just a leaping clown, a small path only!"

At 10:30, the Discipline Inspection Committee convened an emergency meeting; following the Provincial Party Committee's directive, a temporary public‑opinion guidance and handling work task force was established to deal with the female driver's online public opinion incident. Discipline Inspection Committee Deputy Secretary Fang Yang served as deputy team leader, overseeing the concrete work.

After the meeting, the work task force immediately began investigating the incident; journalists accompanied the team for interviews, and timely public reports on progress were released to address netizen concerns.

As long as one works diligently, nothing remains unclear in the investigation. Soon, all information about the female driver was uncovered, and the accident process was reported in detail.

Openness and transparency are the best 'lubricant' for handling public opinion; attempts to hide or conceal in a 'hide‑and‑seek' manner only make rumors spread faster. Huayuan Province does not cover up or conceal, reports openly, quickly gains the initiative, and the next step is to respond to netizens' keen focus on the 'minister' issue!

Discipline Inspection Committee Deputy Secretary Fang Yang brought staff to the Yingjun City Traffic Police Brigade's First Detachment, found the commander Wang Rui, and inquired about the specifics.

After clarifying work discipline, Fang Yang asked, "Comrade Wang Rui, you handled last night's accident case, right?"

Wang Rui replied, "Yes, I enforced the law throughout."

"Please describe the exact process in detail, paying attention to every detail."

Wang Rui recounted, "Around 11:50 p. m., a female driver was operating a BMW motorcycle, approaching about 200 meters before the checkpoint on Shangdu Road. Seeing our checkpoint, she turned around. In panic she rear‑ended a two‑wheel electric bike, then fled, causing the victim to be dragged for about 1,000 meters… The driver then dialed a number, referring to the other party as 'minister'…"

Fang Yang interrupted, "Please recall in detail, focusing on this 'minister,' which is the focal point of netizens' attention. Have no reservations; this conversation is confidential."