Chapter 783: Wang Qigang Goes with the Flow

"He's handling a case?!"

Wang Qigang got angrier as he spoke.

His angry voice suddenly rose: "He's just trying to assert himself! He wants to step on my shoulder, Wang Qigang, to build his own reputation! He's using the face of our Wuzhou cadres as a stepping stone for Lin Dongfan!"

His anger was hard to quell.

Wang Qigang walked to his desk, picked up the phone and was about to dial. However, with his finger on the button, he hesitated for Along time without pressing it.

Who should he call?

Call Lin Dongfan?

Question him why he arrested someone?

One sentence from the Lin guy, "handle the case according to law," could shut him down!

Call Shi Lian Tang of the Discipline Inspection Commission?

That old slickster might toss out a line like "The Discipline Inspection Commission handles cases independently; the Standing Committee collectively decides," and in a minute he could push all responsibility away cleanly!

Call the provincial level?

Even worse, if this blows up, the higher-ups will surely rain down criticism: "Your subordinates got caught red-handed soliciting prostitutes—how have you been managing them?"

By then, the first person to be criticized will be him, Wang Qigang.

"Bang!"

After thinking it over for a while, realizing he couldn't make the call, Wang Qigang slammed the phone down hard, his face dark enough to drip water.

"Secretary Wang..."

The Secretary-General had something to say.

Seeing the leader plop back into his chair, wanting to sip tea to cool down, but the cup was empty. The Secretary-General swallowed his words and hurriedly refilled the leader's tea.

After a cup of tea went down, Wang Qigang's anger seemed to be suppressed.

He regained his usual composure.

But his tone still carried a cold severity: "Li Chuangen, while capable, has plenty of flaws. Even if we need to deal with him, it should be through organizational talks, internal investigations, step by step. If there are problems, we can transfer him off his post, give him disciplinary action, or let him resign voluntarily! There are many ways to solve the problem without harming the bigger picture. Yet Lin Dongfan deliberately chose the ugliest method!"

The Secretary-General cautioned: "Secretary Wang, the person is already at the interrogation point, the Discipline Inspection Commission..."

"Discipline Inspection Commission?"

Wang Qigang laughed in anger: "That old slickster Shi Lian Tang actually picked a side quickly this time. He's sizing up Lin Dongfan's background, wanting to pave his own retreat."

In the silence, Wang Qigang's fingers tapped rhythmically on the desk.

This is a habitual gesture when he thinks deeply.

He thought that since the person had already been arrested, there was no major procedural flaw; forcibly blocking it would surely raise suspicions of shielding a problematic cadre.

The matter is already out; it can't be covered up.

But how to define it, how to handle it, and how far to control the impact? This initiative must stay in the hands of the Municipal Party Committee; we can't let Lin Dongfan stab all the way through on his own.

Having thought this through silently,

Wang Qigang rose again and walked to the window, re-examining the city:

"Wuzhou's economic growth has ranked among the top three in the province these past few years, social security has steadily improved, and the results of investment promotion have been quite fruitful. These achievements are the result of concerted effort by the whole city. We cannot deny the entire team because of a few individuals' problems, nor let a few individuals ruin this hard-won good situation."

He turned around, his gaze firm: "At 8:30 a. m. tomorrow, convene an emergency Standing Committee meeting. Notify all Standing Committee members; none may be absent."

"What's the agenda?" the Secretary-General asked.

Wang Qigang replied without hesitation: "The agenda has two items: first, hear the preliminary report from the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission regarding Li Chuangen's suspected disciplinary violations. Emphasize this: the organization will absolutely not tolerate any disciplinary misconduct, but we must also be factual, avoid exaggeration, and not jeopardize the stability of the political and legal forces.

Second agenda item.

Establish a citywide Discipline and Work Style Education Rectification Leading Group, with me as the group leader, and propose that Comrade Lin Dongfan serve as the executive deputy group leader.

Since he wants to investigate, then let's investigate systematically, comprehensively, and deeply! But it must be organized, procedural, and measured."

Upon hearing this, the Secretary-General's eyes lit up: "Secretary, you mean..."

"The new Lin official always fires three shots on taking office—he isn't trying to burn things down?" Wang Qigang gave a cold smile, his face showing an unfathomable anger: "Then I'll add some firewood and fan the flames. But exactly where to burn, how big, and when to put it out must follow the Municipal Party Committee's arrangements."

"I understand."

This time the Secretary-General truly understood: after all, Lin Dongfan's direct arrest without notice hit Secretary Wang's bottom line, giving him a feeling of being sidelined.

Now Secretary Wang is going with the flow, merely seeking to regain initiative and control the overall situation.

Only see Wang Qigang pick up the internal line: "Connect to the Mayor's office... no, connect to his mobile."

The phone was quickly connected.

Wang Qigang's voice instantly became gentle and steady:

"Dongfan, haven't you rested yet? I just heard about Li Chuangen's matter. Sigh, I also bear responsibility for this incident—I haven't been strict enough in educating and managing cadres."

On the other end of the line.

Soon came Lin Dongfan's voice: "Secretary Wang, the incident happened suddenly; I didn't have time to report it to you in detail..."

"I understand, I understand. In law enforcement, sometimes such decisiveness is needed."

Wang Qigang spoke sincerely: "Let's hold a Standing Committee meeting tomorrow morning, put this on the table, unify our thinking, and work out a proper solution—what do you think?"

After a brief silence, Lin Dongfan replied: "Okay, Secretary Wang."

"Alright, get some rest early."

Wang Qigang hung up, the smile on his face gradually fading.

He lifted his gaze to the Secretary-General ahead: "Lin Dongfan can be youthful and energetic, can be bold and progressive, but which direction the Wuzhou ship sails, how fast, and how to respond to storms—those decisions belong to the helmsman."

The Secretary-General nodded sincerely, thinking, "Old ginger is still spicy."

"Go on, arrange tomorrow's meeting."

Wang Qigang lifted his teacup but hadn't yet taken a sip.

He then, with a thoughtful look, instructed the Secretary-General: "By the way, let the comrades from the Publicity Department also attend. Public opinion guidance must be handled well, setting the tone on 'inner-directed reform, self-revolution, pure ranks.' This should both demonstrate the Municipal Party Committee's firm anti-corruption stance and emphasize the necessity of maintaining stability and promoting development for the bigger picture."

Understood.

The secretary general withdrew.

The office grew quiet again.

Wang Qigang stood alone in the darkness, motionless for Along time.

Outside the window, the city gradually fell asleep.

But this light in the Municipal Party Committee building stayed on until the early hours.

At this moment, at the Discipline Inspection Commission's case-handling point, the light in the interrogation room also remained on. In the inquiry room, Li Chuangen had already been questioned for over two hours, and the transcript filled a thick stack.

Section Chief Sun gazed at the man before him, whose spirit was on the verge of collapse.

He asked the final solemn question: "Li Chuangen, does Secretary Wang know about these matters?"

Li Chuangen suddenly lifted his head, his eyes flashing a hint of fear.

He trembled for Along while.

Finally…

He shook his head, stammering: "I… I don't know. It's entirely my personal failing—I have let down the organization's cultivation and the leadership's trust…"

Section Chief Sun closed the transcript, said nothing, and merely gestured for the recorder to have Li Chuangen sign and affix his fingerprint.

At this moment, Section Chief Sun also realized a problem—some questions shouldn't be asked so early! Wang Qigang is not only the top leader of Wuzhou, but also a member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee.

If they really uncovered anything, even the head of the Discipline Inspection Commission, Shi Liantang, would surely be so anxious as to lose sleep all night.