Chapter 639: A single stone stirs up a thousand waves!

He stayed in the director's office for an afternoon, sunlight poured through the window onto the desk, light and shadow shifted slowly with time, as if also recording the flow of moments, Chen Hangjia's thoughts were myriad, and that poem drifted into his mind.

Life is like an ant, yet one should have the ambition of a swan goose.

Life is as thin as paper, one should have an unyielding heart.

A true man born between heaven and earth, how could he remain depressed and subordinate for long?

One should take dreams as one's steed, not waste one's youth.

The heavens and earth are not yet settled; you and I are both dark horses!

After work, Chen Hangjia returned to South Ridge to hand over his current tasks. He had made up his mind to return to the grassland as soon as possible, to devote himself wholeheartedly to the great cause of fighting corruption, and he must not let down Secretary Lu's earnest expectations and this broad platform.

Regarding his return to the organization, Chen Hangjia's heart was filled with indescribable excitement. He had experienced setbacks and failures, thinking his life had sunk, and that there would be no day to turn things around.

As Secretary Lu said, no one would resign themselves to being swallowed by the sands and broken weapons. The sedimentation of years, the baptism of time, and the cruelty of reality had once made his mood despondent. But today, Secretary Lu is like a bright lamp, illuminating his path forward and rekindling the fighting spirit long dormant deep within him.

No one helps my ambition to reach the blue clouds; I will tread snow to the mountain peak myself. If fate denies me this fortune, I alone can still ascend Kunlun! In the second half of my life, only by working desperately can I repay Secretary Lu's grace of rebirth.

When Chen Hangjia went downstairs, the rate of people turning to look was high; many took the initiative to greet him, and some even stepped forward for a photo, but he mercilessly refused, smiling and saying, "No need for a photo; from now on we'll see each other often, starting today I work here!"

"Secretary Chen, is it true? Which department are you in?"

"The Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee!"

As soon as these words were spoken, they immediately drew countless exclamations of astonishment!

Chen Hangjia temporarily left, but the news of his return to the system and joining the Grassland Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee spread instantly throughout the provincial committee compound! Immediately, the entire grassland was in an uproar, officials and masses across the province chatted about it with relish; never before had anyone's appointment sparked such heated discussion.

At the Grassland Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee, several officials were discussing.

"Have you heard? That internet-famous county Party secretary has come to work at our Grassland Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee!"

"Who?"

"It's Chen Hangjia!"

"Holy shit! Strange things happen every year, but this year in the grassland he actually came to work at our unit! It must be Secretary Lu's doing; nobody else has the guts!"

At the gate of the provincial committee compound, the off-duty crowd bustled, someone said: "Did you hear? It's said that Chen Hangjia serves as Director of Supervision Room Eight of the Grassland Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee!"

"Chen Hangjia? That anti-corruption county Party secretary? Awesome! Now the Grassland Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee is going to blow up!"

"After resigning, can he still be employed? Or does Secretary Lu have a way? I hope Chen Hangjia remains as steadfast as before! I'll definitely go to the Grassland Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee to take a look someday!"

……

Chen Hangjia's appointment is mainly discussed among grassroots officials and the masses, which reflects the broad people's beautiful aspiration to punish corruption. But for the provincial committee leadership, it makes little difference who serves as Director of Room Eight; they pay more attention to Lu Fan's movements.

By evening, Chen Hangjia had re-emerged "from the mountains"; the news of his appointment to the Grassland Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee began to ferment online, but unable to see the appointment documents or exact information, people could only speculate. Even so, it was enough to excite everyone, and the internet was completely in an uproar!

"Extra! Extra! Secretary Chen Hangjia has re-emerged from the mountains, corrupt elements tremble with fear!"

"Holy shit! Who's so bold? To dare employ Secretary Chen? It's truly overturning the heavenly order!"

"What's wrong with re-employing Secretary Chen? He's a genuine good official, a leader who serves the people wholeheartedly! The more such leaders, the better!"

"Please inform us, who knows Secretary Chen Hangjia's position? It couldn't be just for show, a nominal post, could it?"

"Upstairs, I can responsibly tell you: Secretary Chen Hangjia serves at the Grassland Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee as Director of Supervision Room Eight! Don't ask how I know, I won't tell!"

"I unconditionally believe you, Secretary Chen, rise up! Going to the Discipline Inspection Committee, he will surely catch more corrupt officials; the country desperately needs such cadres!"

"Please, Secretary Chen, be sure to protect yourself!"

"I heard it was Secretary Lu Fan of the Grassland Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee who launched Secretary Chen Hangjia; with such a 'backing', Secretary Chen will surely create renewed brilliance!"

"So it's Secretary Lu Fan, I said as much; others wouldn't employ Secretary Chen Hangjia, they're of the same ilk!"

"I now eagerly anticipate the grassland's anti-corruption work; from today on, I will constantly follow the Grassland Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee website!"

"Ah, relying on just one or two people cannot change the situation, but it's better than nothing!"

"I don't like hearing your defeatist talk; if a person has no ideals, what's the difference from a salted fish?"

"Yes yes yes, you're absolutely right! Mom taught me not to argue with fools."

……

The next day, Chen Hangjia's appointment at the Grassland Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee became the talk of the nation; the office of the Grassland Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee received countless calls from netizens, all concerning one matter: verifying whether Chen Hangjia indeed holds a post in the Discipline Inspection Committee.

Staff responded definitively: "Director Chen Hangjia's appointment is undergoing procedure; going by the documents, thank you for your concern over the Grassland Provincial Discipline Inspection work!"

In a moment, the internet and short-video platforms were completely in an uproar; Chen Hangjia swiftly rose to the top of the hot search list, far ahead.

August 13, Chen Hangjia appeared with a briefcase at the Grassland Provincial Party Committee compound; enthusiastic officials immediately spotted him and posted the photo online.

Now the news was confirmed, the internet boiled again; the follower count of the Grassland Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee's WeChat official account rose "squeak squeak squeak", and Chen Hangjia's appointment virtually became a grand event.

At ten in the morning, Li Yuenning, head of the Provincial Party Committee Organization Department, came to Lu Fan's office to report on personnel adjustments. The Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, in charge of party building and the general office, must approve personnel adjustments before they can be submitted to the Standing Committee for review; this hurdle cannot be bypassed, otherwise it's "stand down"; anyway, Lu Fan is not in a hurry now and has no usable personnel at hand.

When reporting on the candidate for director of the Provincial Justice Department, Lu Fan had a brainwave and said: "Regarding personnel, I have a suggestion: recommend the virtuous without avoiding relatives; we should give priority consideration to Deputy Secretary of the Grassland Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee, Yun Zhangsheng. He has served as deputy secretary for nearly ten years; though I won't speak of merits, he at least has put in hard work. We cannot let cadres who do real work bleed, sweat, and cry in vain! Comrade Yuenning, what do you think?"

Li Yuenning was stunned for a moment, then immediately replied: "Okay, Secretary, I will list Comrade Zhangsheng as an important candidate. As for the candidates for the head of the Provincial Party Committee Inspection Group, the leader of the stationed Discipline Inspection and Supervision Group at the Provincial Education Department, and the secretary of Green City Discipline Inspection Committee, please give your instructions, Secretary."

"No one usable," Lu Fan mused, "I've only just arrived in the grassland; not to mention each city, county, and department, I haven't even grasped the situation of the discipline inspection system. Let's do this: other posts will be filled normally through selection and appointment; as for the vacant posts in the discipline inspection system, we'll temporarily leave them vacant, with deputy heads acting in charge, while I further investigate the situation."

Li Yuenning, somewhat unwilling, said: "Secretary Lu, Secretary Xingyuan's instruction is to staff as much as possible in one go, especially the discipline inspection and supervision posts, which carry great responsibility and should not remain vacant long-term."

Lu Fan said calmly: "Personnel selection carries great weight, affecting the rise and fall of a region or department's endeavors; we must be cautious. The Grassland Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee will, as soon as possible, conduct thorough deliberation according to the principles of selecting people based on merit and posts, then on this basis compare and choose the best, study prospective candidates, and recommend to the organization cadres who put the cause first, are upright and just, have a solid work ethic, dare to act, and are enterprising."

"We'll leave the discipline inspection system on hold for now; I'll go communicate with Secretary Xingyuan."

"Furthermore, I want to emphasize one point: when the Organization Department recommends and submits candidates for promotion or further use, it must strictly implement the Discipline Inspection Committee's requirements; all-level discipline inspection committees must conscientiously give conclusive opinions on candidates' integrity and self-discipline, implementing the signature system where the Party Committee Secretary and Discipline Inspection Committee Secretary sign off on integrity assessments. Without an integrity assessment, it indicates problems in integrity and self-discipline, and no one can be promoted or reused!"

"Okay, Secretary, regarding these candidates, I will again solicit the opinions of all Standing Committee members and the deputy provincial governors in charge."

Around noon, as work was about to end, Lin Changping came to report on the progress of three project teams; among them, the case investigation of the Grassland Provincial Prison Administration Bureau had entered its final stage, ready to be handed over to judicial authorities.

Lu Fan asked: "For the Prison Administration Bureau case, how much corrupt money was seized in total?"

Lin Changping flipped his notebook and replied: "Such a department, who would have thought it could be so greedy; 24 corrupt elements 'scraped off' 3.8 billion of the people's fat and ointment, all of them 'tycoons' with over ten million each!"

Lu Fan pondered and said: "'Minor officials, major corruption' keep emerging, precisely reflecting the aspect of anti-corruption that is easily overlooked; some departments that live off fiscal funds appear as clear-water offices, but inside there are hidden twists and turns unknown to the public; if supervision is weak, they will still become hotspots of power-seeking rent. Changping, the money in the integrity account, nobody may move it without my signature!"

"Okay, Secretary, I will guard the gate well!"

Suddenly, Lu Fan asked: "The Tin League Prison has encountered such huge problems; now the entire army has been wiped out. Does local management bear no responsibility? Can the Tin League League Committee just keep to itself? Go investigate, see whether the case is linked to Wan Lingjun, secretary of the Tin League League Committee, or whether there are other corruption issues, such as collusion, perverting justice for personal gain, benefit transfer, and so on."

Lin Changping immediately understood, replied: "Okay, Secretary, indeed I was negligent. Anti-corruption has no off-limits zones, full coverage, zero tolerance; cannot leave any blind spots."

Lu Fan also recalled Yang Minghao struggling to make headway at the provincial capital Public Security Bureau, and then instructed: "Qingcheng City Public Security Bureau has a deputy bureau chief who illegally possessed firearms and ammunition, took bribes, and was sentenced to 18 years. But no one else was implicated—could he be a 'lone wolf'? You should pay attention to the corruption issues in Qingcheng City's Public Security system and coordinate with Director Yang Minghao; if necessary, the Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee can handle the case at a higher level."

Lin Changping nodded and said: "Okay, Secretary, I'll personally look into it; the Supervision Room Eight will handle it specifically."

Lu Fan nodded and said: "Alright, then let's see if Chen Hangjia's 'knife' has rusted—whether he can shoulder the heavy responsibility."