Chapter 676

Under the high priority and personal supervision of Wei Dongsheng, before 7 p. m. that evening, all counties and districts across the city hastily submitted the "drawing empty salary" special rectification commitment letters; heads of each department signed, and the county (district) Party secretaries and chiefs, as the primary responsible persons, signed their names on the ledgers in their respective counties; the "drawing empty salary" special rectification became the top priority in Yike City.

Despite the grave situation, however, there are still those who refuse to repent and try to gain from the fire.

That evening, Lu Fan received a tip-off about "drawing empty salary" from the Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee, which involved 35 issues in Yike City; Lu Fan immediately instructed the Deputy Secretary-General accompanying him, Liu Xianhao, to conduct a secret investigation.

On the morning of January 25, Lu Fan went to Wu County for research; Municipal Party Secretary Wei Dongsheng, Mayor Zou Benji, Deputy Secretary Li Chengjing, Discipline Inspection Committee Secretary Guo Yongqing, and other municipal leaders accompanied him.

Upon learning that Secretary Lu was coming for an inspection, the leaders of Wu County trembled with fear and stood ready.

Upon arriving in Wu County, to everyone's surprise, Secretary Lu went straight to the County Commerce Bureau, and the county leaders hurriedly went ahead to prepare the way.

Arriving at the office of the Commerce Bureau Director, Lu Fan asked: "Have you signed the 'drawing empty salary' special rectification commitment letter?"

Hearing this, the director's face turned pale, a huge surge rose in his heart, and the thought of being 'doomed' instantly arose; he was so frightened he could not speak.

Municipal Party Secretary Wei Dongsheng, with a stern face, said: "Secretary Lu is asking you—have you signed the commitment letter?"

The director stammered: "Yes… yes, yesterday afternoon we submitted the commitment letter to the County Party Committee."

Lu Fan continued: "Does your unit have any 'drawing empty salary' phenomenon? Bring out the self-inspection ledger for me to see!"

The director stood frozen, not knowing how to respond; the county official beside him was so angry he wanted to step forward and slap him.

To meet the leader's demand, the County Party Secretary directly ordered the deputy director and the clerk to fetch the 'drawing empty salary' self-inspection ledger.

The ledger was complete, having already been reported to the County Party Committee yesterday; in less than two minutes, the deputy director ran in with the ledger and respectfully handed it to Lu Fan.

After receiving the ledger, Lu Fan glanced at it and asked: "Today is Monday; everyone in the unit should be present. I want to ask, are Li Fang, Wang Gai Xia, Yun Li Tong, and Dong Hongbo in the office?"

Hearing Secretary Lu's sudden question, the director was terrified to the core, his heart plummeting into a bottomless abyss; cold sweat poured out despite the winter, and he stammered: "Lu… Secretary Lu, they… those four… have all taken leave!"

Lu Fan frowned and said: "What a leave! Bring the attendance register and leave slips for me to see! Also, how long have they been on leave? When did they start 'drawing empty salary'?"

As soon as he said that, everyone present understood: Secretary Lu's visit to the Commerce Bureau was no coincidence; he already had clues about officials involved in 'drawing empty salary'; the municipal and county leaders' faces grew extremely grave, and the office atmosphere became so oppressive that people could barely breathe.

Suddenly, Lu Fan slammed the table hard, angrily saying: "This is your attitude toward work in Yike City—you dare to brush off the Provincial Party Committee's instructions like this? What else wouldn't you dare do? I tell you clearly: the four people in the Commerce Bureau who are 'drawing empty salary' have already been reported to the Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee; you all signed the commitment letter—today this matter must be answered to me!"

"Xianhao, the Provincial Party Committee General Office must immediately activate the accountability mechanism and investigate the situation and background of these four people's 'drawing empty salary' in detail; I want to see whose wives they are and whose princely sons they are!"

"'Okay, Secretary, I'll get on it right away!' Liu Xianhao hurried out of the office, summoning staff from the General Office and the Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee to immediately go investigate and verify."

At this moment, the Commerce Bureau office was deathly silent; Wei Dongsheng, Zou Benji, and others wore looks of shame, not daring to take a breath.

Lu Fan was currently in the limelight on the grasslands; his thunderous anger was more than the leaders of Yike City could bear!

"'Lead the way, let's go see Wu County's Agriculture Bureau and Development and Reform Commission; the Commerce Bureau matter will be handled after the investigation is clear!' Lu Fan suddenly stood up and said, then walked straight out of the director's office; the Wu County Party Secretary hurriedly took a few steps, trotting ahead to lead the way."

Arriving at the office area of the County Agriculture Bureau, Lu Fan entered the office and directly asked the clerk for the unit's attendance register; after looking at it, he instructed the Agriculture Bureau to immediately convene a meeting of all staff and workers, requiring all subordinate units to participate.

Twenty minutes later, Lu Fan arrived at the meeting room with the Agriculture Bureau cadres.

When they saw the leader seated solemnly on the stage, each of them felt alarmed, unconsciously lightened their steps, cautiously took their seats, and a feeling of nervous unease welled up in their hearts, realizing that something major might have happened in their unit.

After everyone had arrived, Lu Fan solemnly said: "I will now take roll call—Liu Yueqi?"

The hall was silent, with no response.

"'Ma Mei?'"

Still deathly silent.

"'Wang Shuyun?'"

……

Lu Fan called out five names, receiving no response; at this point the Agriculture Bureau cadres understood—it was an investigation into 'drawing empty salary'!

The Wu County Party Secretary and County Mayor sat in the first row below the stage, so ashamed they could not lift their heads; the Agriculture Bureau Director was terrified to the point of feeling his liver and gallbladder split, showing the look of being 'doomed'.

Lu Fan said in a deep voice: "The Municipal Discipline Inspection Committee will go investigate right away to see exactly what is going on with these people."

Yike City Discipline Inspection Committee Secretary Guo Yongqing immediately stood up, his face grave, and replied: "Okay, Secretary Lu, I will personally investigate!" After saying that, he turned and left the meeting room.

Lu Fan surveyed the meeting hall, speaking solemnly: "Comrades, some cadres have long been absent from work while still receiving full salaries, violating regulations by 'drawing empty salary,' causing adverse social effects; at the root, this is due to weak awareness of discipline and law, with the unit's leading officials turning a blind eye and failing to correct it."

Let's do a quick calculation: I estimate that every unit in Wu County has people 'drawing empty salary,' right? If we count 300 people across the county, that's not too many; at an average of 5,000 yuan per month per person, the annual salary expenditure is 18 million yuan, and adding pensions, medical insurance, housing provident fund, etc., it easily exceeds 25 million yuan; I estimate the actual situation is far worse! This is no small amount—the people's taxes are being devoured by these parasites!

How much of the people's wealth has been squandered?

Whose responsibility is it?

How much has been taken—has it all been vomited back?

Are those suspected of crimes being severely punished by law?

It's not just ordinary people who can 'draw empty salary'; can pulling out a radish bring up the mud?

If we just let it go, pardon the past, and not punish the many, would everyone think that since it's free, who wouldn't take it?

The Provincial Party Committee's stance is that we must handle this seriously—scrape the bone to cure the poison, grasp firmly to the end, and be good at both making and fighting! Those who 'draw empty salary' must spit out everything they have taken, and then be fined and punished under Party discipline and state law; for Party member leaders who arrange for their relatives to 'draw empty salary,' disciplinary action is non-negotiable! Only in this way can we warn future generations: do not reach out, for reaching out will surely be caught.

Article 87 of the Regulations on Disciplinary Punishments clearly stipulates: indulging or conniving at spouses, children and their spouses, other relatives, nearby staff, and other specific related persons who obtain remuneration without actual work, or who do work but receive pay clearly exceeding the standard for their rank, must be dealt with seriously!

Today, Wu County's 'drawing empty salary' problem must be investigated to the end, with no leniency! The General Office will organize what I just said and have each inspection team explain it clearly to everyone; for each discovered violation of 'drawing empty salary,' we will handle it seriously, swiftly and severely punish the responsible parties, so they receive strict legal sanctions, truly giving them a 'cure,' forming strong deterrence and warning power!

Comrade Dongsheng, you are the Municipal Party Secretary and the primary responsible person for Yike City's 'drawing empty salary' special rectification action—state your position!

Wei Dongsheng rose with a face full of guilt, bowed slightly to Lu Fan, then sat down and said: "First, on behalf of the Yike City Party Committee, I offer a deep self-criticism to Secretary Lu and the Provincial Party Committee; Yike City's 'drawing empty salary' rectification action has revealed major oversights and serious mistakes!"

Going forward, Yike City will remember this lesson, know shame and then be brave, with the determination of breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats to catch up with work, strictly implementing the spirit of the Provincial Party Committee's instructions and all deployments, deeply carrying out self-examination and correction, imposing an iron fist to rectify the 'drawing empty salary' phenomenon, clarifying the scope of rectification, unifying policy boundaries, standardizing the determination of circumstances, targeting efforts precisely, carrying out work in an orderly and effective manner, and whenever illegal or irregular conduct is found, we will punish it severely without leniency, absolutely not tolerating corruption!

At the same time, following Secretary Lu's instructions, we will elevate administrative accountability to the legal level, so that 'drawing empty salary' cannot hide or find any loophole, truly doing our utmost to be worthy of the organization's and the people's trust and expectations!

Lu Fan gave a slight nod, saying: "First look at attitude, key is action, final is effect; I will continue to monitor Yike City's rectification of the 'drawing empty salary' phenomenon."

Hearing this, Wei Dongsheng's heart tightened; he knew that from now on, Yike City's work must not suffer any slip or omission, otherwise he would inevitably face Secretary Lu's thunderous wrath, and his own career would likely be ruined!

Having said everything that needed to be said, Lu Fan announced the meeting adjourned, but he himself remained seated in the meeting room, waiting for the Provincial Party Committee General Office and the Municipal Discipline Inspection Committee to investigate the 'drawing empty salary' personnel of these two units; today this matter must have a result, so as to set a tone and example for the other inspection teams and the Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee regarding the 'handled persons'.

After sitting quietly for twenty minutes, Deputy Secretary-General of the Provincial Party Committee Liu Xianhao hurriedly walked in and reported: "Secretary, the investigation into the personnel of the Commerce Bureau who are drawing empty pay is clear. Li Fang is a family member of the Deputy County Chief, has been drawing empty pay for 12 years, and is in Qingcheng City taking care of her children; Wang Gai Xia is a family member of the United Front Work Department head, has been drawing empty pay for about 8 years, and is in Qingcheng City looking after her grandson; Yun Li Tong is a family member of the County Economic Development Bureau chief, has been drawing empty pay for about 6 years, and is in Qingcheng City accompanying studies; Dong Hongbo is the son of the Municipal Commerce Bureau chief, has been drawing empty pay for 4 years, and he himself is engaged in business outside."