Chapter 1012: The Big Shot's Rhetoric

In the meeting room of the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Committee office building, tea fragrance lingered yet could not suppress the undercurrents surging in the air.

Character sat on the sofa.

Character's fingertips unconsciously rubbed the cool porcelain cup wall.

Today he deliberately changed into a dark blue Zhongshan suit, shedding the sharpness of his former Municipal Party Committee Secretary, his brow bearing a deliberately lowered demeanor.

Opposite him, Luo Xiang wore a crisp political and legal affairs uniform, his temples slightly frosted, his gaze calm yet exuding undeniable authority.

Everyone in the province knows that he, Lin Dongfan, most reveres his mentor.

"Secretary Luo, I'm sorry to disturb you today, but it's truly urgent."

Character was the first to break the silence.

His tone carried just the right urgency: "You've surely heard about the recent situation in Wuzhou—Mayor Lin arrested a man named Chen Cheng in Gold Stream County and requested the Provincial Department to set up a special task force. This was originally a good thing, but now the situation seems to be getting out of hand."

Luo Xiang lifted his tea cup, took a sip, then slowly set it down: "Comrade Character, Lin Dongfan's anti-corruption and crackdown work in Wuzhou is seen by the Provincial Party Committee. He is stern in character, decisive in action, yet always upholds the judicial bottom line—I believe him on that."

"You certainly know him, but this matter is different."

Character hurriedly continued.

His speech unconsciously sped up: "Fu Xinping, who got dragged into this, was young and clueless back then, having some improper dealings with Chen Cheng. Now Lin Dongfan wants to dig deep into the protective umbrella—if this is truly investigated, Fu Xinping will surely not escape blame. But then, how many others will be dragged down with him?"

Seeing Luo Xiang smile without saying anything.

Character earnestly pleaded: "Secretary Luo, you are Lin Dongfan's mentor. Could you advise him? A light touch is enough; there's no need to go too extreme and harm local harmony."

Luo Xiang shook his head helplessly.

His eyes held a hint of difficulty: "Comrade Character, you and I are both veteran party members and leaders; we should understand the principle of judicial independence."

The Provincial Department's establishment of a special task force follows procedure.

As the Secretary of the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Committee, I cannot arbitrarily interfere in case handling.

Lin Dongfan has his own way of working; if I directly intervened, it would only make things harder for him and violate the principle we have always upheld.

Although I had expected Luo Xiang would not readily agree.

Character's expression remained steady.

Neither hurried nor agitated.

Character shifted the conversation: "Secretary Luo, I'm not asking you to interfere in judicial matters. I only hope you can, from the perspective of the bigger picture, offer Lin Dongfan some advice. Think about it—since Lin Dongfan became mayor of Wuzhou, how long has it been? He has dealt with over a dozen department-level or higher officials. The anti-corruption effort is indeed strong, but it has also caused panic among the people."

He paused briefly.

Character deliberately intensified his tone:

"Now many officials in the city are like startled birds, everyone feeling insecure, afraid to speak in meetings, afraid to make decisions, terrified that any misstep will draw scrutiny."

If this continues, it will neither help team unity nor undermine Lin Dongfan's own cohesion.

In the long run.

Everyone regards him as a 'killing god'; who would dare to wholeheartedly follow him in the future?

Having said that.

Character further strengthened his rhetoric, invoking superior ideology to apply pressure: "You and I are both standing committee members; we both understand that the province also does not want to see one person dominate locally. Power must check and balance—only then is the political ecosystem healthy. Lin Dongfan's ability is indeed strong, but his momentum is too great, which may not be a good thing."

Upon hearing this, Luo Xiang's face showed a faint smile.

But his gaze sharpened somewhat.

And he chuckled: "Secretary Guo, your words are too heavy. Lin Dongfan in Wuzhou hasn't yet reached the point of single-handedly covering the sky."

You, as Municipal Party Committee Secretary, are at least a Provincial Standing Committee member, not a mere figurehead. As long as you're in office for a day, when would Lin Dongfan ever get to dominate alone?

Upon hearing that, Character burst into laughter and tears, feeling an indescribable frustration welling up inside.

Damn, this is really ironic!

Thinking to myself, if I, Character, held real power, why would I have come here to beg you?

I have been put on 'leave' by the Provincial Party Committee for a month; my work has already been divided up seven-eighths, nominally I am the Municipal Party Committee Secretary, but in reality it's no different from being sidelined.

What can I use to check and balance Lin Dongfan?

Character grew angrier the more he thought, and had no choice but to suppress his anger.

It's long been said that Luo Xiang protects his protégés; today's conversation confirms it! It's no surprise, really—Lin Dongfan is his most proud disciple, plus the Lin Family background. In a sense, defending Lin Dongfan is tantamount to safeguarding his own political future. On this matter, Luo Xiang will not act foolishly.

The matter has come to this; further circumlocution is useless.

Character took a deep breath.

He simply made a concession.

His tone carried a hint of helplessness: "Secretary Luo, to be frank, my situation is clear to you. I came today not to oppose Lin Dongfan, but to look after the bigger picture."

Character stared directly at Luo Xiang.

He solemnly added: "As long as Lin Dongfan does not expand the handling of the Fu Xinping matter or implicate the innocent, I, as Municipal Party Committee Secretary, will do my best to cooperate with his work."

Previously, where we had differing political views, I can let bygones be bygones and will never again lock horns with him.

Everything will be weighed against the development of Wuzhou as the priority.

I still possess this awareness.

Having come to this point, this is already the greatest compromise Character can make. He proactively lowered his stance, abandoned the confrontation with Lin Dongfan, solely to preserve his own political future.

Luo Xiang's smile faded somewhat, his expression becoming gentler.

He fell silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.

After a while, he slowly spoke: "Comrade Character, I understand your sincerity. Lin Dongfan may be stern, but he is also reasonable—not an unreasonable person."

"What do you mean?" Character waited quietly for the continuation.

Luo Xiang replied thoughtfully: "Let's do this: I'll find time to talk with Lin Dongfan and convey your concerns and attitude to him."

But I'll say this up front: I can only give him a bit of advice.

"How exactly to handle this ultimately depends on his own attitude and the actual circumstances of the case. If the nature of the incident is too heinous, we still have to face it."

Hearing this, the stone in Character's heart finally fell halfway.

If Luo Xiang is willing to speak up, that's already the best result.

Character hurriedly stood to thank: "Thank you, Secretary Luo. As long as you're willing to help, there's hope for a turnaround. No matter the outcome, I'm grateful to you."

"It's all for work, for Wuzhou's stability." Luo Xiang stood and shook hands with Character: "Go back first; I'll have the secretary notify you if there's any news."