Chapter 601

Li Xingyuan impatiently answered the phone, asking: "Lingjun, what's the matter?"

Wan Lingjun's urgent voice came over the phone: "Secretary, something serious has happened. Just now Yilin City called. Hua Yuan Provincial Party Committee Deputy Secretary Lu Fan came to the grasslands for tourism, and Yun Lianfeng that bastard harassed Lu Fan's wife, and Lu Fan had people directly take him to the police station."

Hearing this, Li Xingyuan flew into a rage, cursing: "Yun Lianfeng? He wasn't sentenced? He shouldn't be serving time in prison? How could he be causing trouble in Yilin City?"

"Secretary, I've looked into it from the side; it should be a prison management issue. Over the past few years he's been out a lot, and the prison's administrative authority lies with the Provincial Department of Justice."

Li Xingyuan asked: "What about Lu Fan? What's his attitude?"

"Yilin City's Lu Xiangru has expressed his stance to Lu Fan, saying he will give him an explanation as soon as possible; Lu Fan should now be resting at the hotel."

Li Xingyuan swore: "How embarrassing! A prisoner actually ran to provoke Lu Fan! You go to the hotel now, apologize to Lu Fan, show the proper attitude, do a good job of appeasement, and I'll handle the rest; we must give him an explanation."

Lu Fan, after leaving the police station, immediately called Lu Yao's phone.

"Brother, it's so late, you haven't rested yet? Are you okay?" Lu Yao's weary voice came over the phone.

Lu Fan asked: "Yun Lianfeng, a prisoner, do you know him?"

Lu Yao replied: "I've heard of him. He was the first major anti-crime case on the grasslands; his sentencing caused a sensation across the province, uncovering some protectors, but only superficial ones. Brother, why are you suddenly asking about him?"

Lu Fan replied: "This person slapped your sister-in-law today and also verbally insulted Mengyao's sister-in-law!"

"What?" Lu Yao exclaimed: "Did he eat a leopard's gall? He isn't supposed to be serving time in prison? Brother, is your sister-in-law okay?"

"The slap landed on the arm, it's not a big deal, but the nature of this matter is very vile; Secretary Hong Tao is furious!"

"This beast, daring to hit his sister-in-law, deserves a bad death! Brother, I'll go investigate right away!"

Lu Fan advised: "Just get a side understanding of the situation; without superior instructions, don't act rashly, observe organizational discipline and principles, and the provincial capital of the grasslands will give me an explanation."

What Lu Fan said was correct; a provincial deputy secretary, a serious incident occurred in the grasslands, Secretary Li Xingyuan attached great importance to it, and he personally ordered Political and Legal Committee Secretary Yang Jiale and Discipline Inspection Committee Secretary Yang Qi to investigate overnight.

That night, a special case team formed by the Provincial Party Committee General Office, Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee, Provincial Political and Legal Committee, Provincial Department of Justice, Provincial Public Security Department, etc., was stationed at the Ximeng Prison.

When they heard the special case team wanted to interrogate Yun Lianfeng, the prison leaders broke out in big beads of sweat rolling down their foreheads, scared witless; how could they not know that Yun Lianfeng had gone out to "play" again today!

Lu Fan returned to the hotel and reported the situation he had learned to Secretary Hong Tao.

Hearing that the perpetrator Yun Lianfeng was actually a prisoner, Wang Hongtao flew into a rage: "Unheard of, unseen! How could a prisoner be allowed to cause trouble outside prison? What is Li Xingyuan doing? Sending him to the grasslands, this is how he repays the organization's trust and expectation?"

Lu Fan said softly: "Secretary, I've had Lu Yao look into the situation."

"I want to see how the grasslands will give you an explanation, Lu Fan. It's late; go rest and check if Zimeng's arm is okay."

"A slap in the heat of the moment should be no big trouble; thank you, Secretary, for your concern."

Wang Hongtao said with a grim face: "Tell Zimeng my thanks; if she hadn't stepped forward and blocked in front, Yun Lianfeng's slap would have hit Mengyao's face!"

After Lu Fan left, Wang Hongtao again thought of Yun Lianfeng's surname, showing a pensive expression.

At seven the next morning, after Secretary Hong Tao's family finished washing up, Lu Fan arranged for the staff to deliver breakfast to the room.

Coincidentally, Lu Yao's call came through; Lu Fan put it on speaker and asked: "Yao Yao, have you figured out Yun Lianfeng's situation?"

Lu Yao replied: "Brother, last night the special case team already stationed at Ximeng Prison; the whole judicial system is in chaos. I investigated, and the prison leaders and some public officials neglected duty, indulged criminals, engaged in graft and falsification, acting as protectors for Yun Lianfeng, causing him to receive illegal reductions in sentence, and even while serving time he escaped supervision and reoffended, creating an extremely vile impact on society."

During Yun Lianfeng's imprisonment, the prison not only failed to strictly supervise him but also allowed him to live in a single room and cook special meals. Yun Lianfeng even directed other prisoners to dig a tunnel through the prison's heating duct to the outside, freely coming and going, and the prison turned a blind eye.

Last year, Yun Lianfeng, while serving his sentence, escaped supervision, drove a car and caused a traffic accident resulting in one death. After the accident, Yun Lianfeng fabricated an alibi and found a scapegoat. This March, Yun Lianfeng teamed up with others to create a case at a Ximeng entertainment venue in which one person was seriously injured.

Before he finished speaking, Wang Hongtao could no longer contain his anger; he shot to his feet, raised his hand and slammed it hard onto the coffee table in front of him. With a loud "bang," the several meal boxes on the table were instantly scattered across the floor.

He widened his eyes, face full of fury, and shouted angrily: "Utterly lawless and shocking! Is this still the grasslands under Party leadership? It's rotten to the core!"

Lu Fan hurried to soothe: "Secretary, please calm down; this might just be the corruption of Ximeng Prison."

Wang Hongtao snapped angrily: "No one acting as a protector, and yet this tiny prison dares to neglect duty, indulge criminals, engage in graft, and do whatever it wants?"

Just then, Lu Fan's phone rang; he glanced at Wang Hongtao and said: "It's a landline number, probably from the Grasslands Provincial Party Committee."

Wang Hongtao coldly said: "Answer, put it on speaker."

Lu Fan immediately answered the phone, saying: "Hello, may I ask who you are?"

"Comrade Lu Fan, I am Li Xingyuan!"

Lu Fan politely replied: "Good day, Secretary Xingyuan!"

Li Xingyuan sighed and said: "I deeply regret what happened last night! The matter has been investigated clearly; the Party organization of Ximeng Prison is weak and disintegrated, internal management is chaotic, the system exists in name only, supervision is severely lacking, the prison warden, deputy wardens, and 16 others have been trading in personal connections, colluding, blatantly falsifying, with no bottom line, disregarding discipline, abusing power for personal gain, shocking and infuriating. The Provincial Party Committee last night established a special case team to file charges against the 16 implicated personnel of Ximeng Prison and re-arrest Yun Lianfeng. Please rest assured, the Grasslands Provincial Party Committee will certainly enforce the law impartially, uphold discipline strictly, investigate and deal with matters firmly, resolutely safeguard social fairness and justice, and not let any law-breaking element escape punishment."

Lu Fan replied calmly: "A prison is meant to be a supervisory place for criminals; criminals should receive punishment and reform. Yet the supervisory personnel are irresponsible, neglect duty, act as protectors for evil forces, allowing those forces to scorn the law, harming the people and society, which is truly heartbreaking! I believe Secretary Xingyuan will eradicate evil completely, severely punish the wicked, deeply investigate and root out the 'network of connections' and 'protectors', and eliminate the breeding ground for evil forces."

"Comrade Lu Fan, you've come all the way to the grasslands; no matter what, I must do my duty as host. At noon I'll arrange something to relieve your wife's fright."

"Thank you, Secretary Xingyuan, for your warm invitation, but the timing is off; we're wrapping up tomorrow, I still have a pile of work, and we're already on our way back to Yancheng, truly sorry!"

"Ah, that's a shame; when I next go to Yancheng, I will definitely pay a visit!"

……

After Lu Fan hung up, Wang Hongtao coldly said: "He's pushing all the blame onto that tiny prison; that's Li Xingyuan's attitude!"

Lu Fan asked for instructions: "Secretary, are we still going to Yilin City port today?"

"We've lost interest; let's head straight back to Yancheng! Lu Fan, you keep an eye on the follow-up; I want to see how long they can cover for them!"

"Okay, Secretary, I'll report any progress to you at any time."

On the way back to Yancheng, Lu Yao sent Lu Fan the details of Yun Lianfeng's crimes.

Yun Lianfeng's protectors are deeply entrenched in the grasslands, giving him the confidence to run rampant. This person has extensively carried out illegal and criminal activities on the grasslands, organizing and leading mafia-type groups, committing bribery, mass brawls, organizing prostitution, extortion, running gambling houses, provoking trouble, obstructing official duties, false capital contribution, etc., amassing huge economic gains, doing evil, dominating the region, and seriously undermining the grasslands' political, economic, and social order.

But Yun Lianfeng was only sentenced to a little over ten years; prison guards fabricated false appraisal materials claiming "merit," earning him four reductions in sentence, and he is expected to be released in less than two years.

After the vacation ended on October 8, under the personal arrangements and dispatch of Wang Hongtao, Chen Jiazhong, and Guo Mingxiong, an undercover team silently set out for the Grasslands Province.

After Lu Fan returned to Huayuan, he received a call from Yang Qi of the Grasslands Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee, indicating that the committee was handling the matter specially, and would impose on the 16 leading cadres and public officials of Ximeng Prison punishments such as expulsion from the Party, removal from office, Party probation, administrative demotion, rank reduction, reduction of retirement benefits, etc.

Yang Qi's attitude was courteous, but the outcome was a slap on the wrist, leaving Lu Fan very unhappy.

After reporting to Secretary Hongtao, Lu Fan no longer concerned himself, assuming the secretary had his own arrangements.

At ten in the morning, Provincial Party Committee Secretary-General Ma Yuze came to Lu Fan's office, smiling, and reported: "Secretary Lu, the General Office has several vacant positions; I'm here to ask for approval, hoping to fill them as soon as possible."

Lu Fan smiled slightly and replied: "Cadre appointments must establish a correct orientation, upholding the principle that 'work comes first, people fit the post, and personnel suit the position,' continually stimulating innovation and vitality in the General Office to achieve making the best of people's talents and making full use of their abilities. First draft a plan, then we'll discuss. Oh, by the way, there's also a vacancy for a Deputy Secretary-General of the Provincial Party Committee and a Deputy Director of the Provincial Party Committee General Office; this is a provincial-level cadre, so you should coordinate with the Organization Department and promptly propose suitable candidates."

Ma Yuze gave an embarrassed laugh and said: "Okay, I'll first communicate with Department Head Weipeng."