Chapter 817

Shi Liantang quietly listened to Tang Yuchao explain the problem.

After Tang Yuchao finished speaking, he then asked in surprise: "Why did you turn yourself in?"

When Tang Yuchao raised his head.

His eye sockets were already red: "I... I'm afraid. Zhou Hongwei has been taken in, and Yuan Ben Zhong has also been taken in. I know what I did will eventually be uncovered. Rather than wait for the disciplinary commission to come for me, I might as well come myself..."

He paused.

His voice grew even softer: "Besides... besides, I heard that voluntarily confessing can lead to leniency."

Shi Liantang looked at him.

It was not hard to see that Tang Yuchao had been frightened out of his wits.

But it's also understandable; the person who stirred up the anti-corruption storm in Wuzhou this time is Lin Dongfan! And Lin Dongfan is not only the newly appointed mayor of Wuzhou, but also a princeling from the capital circle.

Let alone Wuzhou, this provincial capital city.

Looking across the whole Jianglan Province, those who dare to openly oppose Lin Dongfan are few and far between! Otherwise, how could Wang Qigang, who has already risen to the ranks of the provincial party standing committee, find himself in such a passive situation?

The successive downfalls of Zhou Hongwei and Yuan Ben Zhong have left those with guilty consciences unable to sit still.

They began to calculate: should they hold out to the end, or should they turn themselves in? Today Tang Yuchao set an example for everyone in the city, which is also a good thing.

Seeking a lighter sentence—this is the only way out for these people!

"We will verify what you said," Shi Liantang said. "Write down the specific details of the illicit money and goods, as well as the list of bribe-givers, times, locations, and amounts—the more detailed, the better."

"Yes, yes." Tang Yuchao nodded repeatedly.

"Moreover..." Shi Liantang stared fixedly at Tang Yuchao and asked again: "You know about Yuan Ben Zhong's situation, right?"

Tang Yuchao trembled all over: "I... I know a little..."

"He has confessed to quite a lot," Shi Liantang said, pausing deliberately and speaking tentatively: "Some of the issues involve your environmental protection system."

As soon as his words fell, Tang Yuchao's face turned ashen.

"So, coming forward to turn yourself in is wise," Shi Liantang said as he stood up. "Stay here and write the materials clearly. When you're done, I'll have someone take you where you need to go."

Having said that, Shi Liantang walked out of the reception room.

The door closed.

Tang Yuchao slumped onto the sofa and let out Along sigh of relief.

Although he knew what lay ahead, at least... he no longer had to live in anxiety; from the moment he stepped forward to turn himself in, his life had no turning back.

Tang Yuchao picked up a pen and began to detail the problem.

He recorded in full detail on paper the secrets he had once thought he would never reveal, daring not to conceal even the slightest bit.

It is worth mentioning that.

The news of Tang Yuchao's voluntary surrender was like a bomb that exploded in Wuzhou's official circles.

If Zhou Hongwei and Yuan Ben Zhong were arrested, then Tang Yuchao voluntarily walking into prison himself—what does that signify?

This signifies that the anti-corruption storm stirred up by Lin Dongfan has already formed a powerful psychological deterrent.

It means that those with guilty consciences are beginning to be unable to sit still.

Even more, it means—Secretary Wang, truly cannot hold down the situation.

That afternoon.

The small meeting room of the municipal government.

Lin Dongfan convened relevant departments for a meeting to study the rectification work of environmental protection supervision. The meeting that was originally supposed to be attended by the director of the Environmental Protection Bureau, Tang Yuchao, has now been replaced by the deputy director.

Halfway through the meeting, Lin Dongfan's phone vibrated.

It was a text message sent by Shi Liantang:

"Tang Yuchao has confessed to quite a lot, involving the Zhao Group, Green Wild Landscaping, and several other people in the environmental protection system. Moreover, he has provided an important clue—there is an intermediary between Yuan Ben Zhong and Zhao Tianyu."

Lin Dongfan finished reading, put away his phone, and his expression remained normal.

He lifted his gaze to the meeting hall; the deputy director of the Environmental Protection Bureau was reporting, his forehead covered in sweat.

"Director Wang..." Lin Dongfan suddenly said: "You know about Director Tang's situation, right?"

The deputy director Wang's hand trembled, the documents fell to the ground: "I... I know."

"The problems in the environmental protection system must be thoroughly investigated." Lin Dongfan said calmly: "What needs rectifying will be rectified, what needs handling will be handled. My principle is: not to wrong a good person, and not to let a bad person go."

He spoke slowly, each word clear and forceful.

The meeting hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone understood—Mayor Lin was establishing rules, and also establishing authority.

"Alright, let's continue the meeting." Lin Dongfan waved his hand.

But the ensuing meeting, no one could focus; everyone was thinking: who will be the next person to be caught?

Just how long will this storm continue to blow?

And what about myself... am I safe?

……-

After the meeting adjourned, Lin Dongfan returned to his office.

Secretary Xiao Chen followed in, speaking softly: "Mayor Lin, during the meeting just now, three bureau chiefs called, saying they wanted to report work to you."

"Which three?" Lin Dongfan asked.

"The newly appointed acting director of the Housing and Construction Bureau, the director Li of the Finance Bureau, and the director Zhang of the Transportation Bureau."

Lin Dongfan smiled: "Let them come tomorrow morning."

"Yes."

Xiao Chen withdrew.

Lin Dongfan walked to the window, looking down at the municipal government compound.

In the courtyard, several bureau chiefs were walking out, their steps hurried, heads lowered as they talked. The sunlight fell on them, stretching their shadows long.

He knew that, starting today, Wuzhou's officialdom would undergo a major change.

Zhou Hongwei is the beginning.

Yuan Ben Zhong is the deepening.

And Tang Yuchao's voluntary surrender marked that he, Lin Dongfan, had truly found his footing in Wuzhou. Now people from all units are actively approaching him—this is the most direct result.

Those still watching from the sidelines, those still hoping to sit on the fence, those still pinning their hopes on Secretary Wang turning things around—now they all ought to wake up.

This anti-corruption storm will not stop.

It will only grow fiercer.

Lin Dongfan picked up his phone and sent a WeChat message to Chu Lingxi: "Tonight I'll bring people home for dinner; tell the nanny to prepare an extra serving."

Chu Lingxi instantly replied: "Who's coming?"

"Lao Shi."

After sending the message, he put away his phone and looked at Wuzhou city outside the window.

He thought that Shi Liantang had once been a subordinate who offended his father-in-law, and recently had been running errands for him, Lin Dongfan, earning considerable merit, and thus deserved an attitude.

Wuzhou, this city, had once been covered by a thick layer of dust.

To sweep away the city's smog in one fell swoop, one cannot do without Shi Liantang's strong support.

Lin Dongfan turned and returned to his desk.

He picked up a document.

This was the preliminary audit report for the Cloud Peak Mountain Villa project.

He opened it and read it carefully.

He locked onto the next target.

As the top leader of Wuzhou, Comrade Wang Qigang was in his office, blowing up at the person on the other end of the phone:

"Has Tang Yuchao gone mad?! What case is he voluntarily turning himself in for?! Doesn't he realize how many people this will drag in?!"

The person on the other end of the phone didn't know what to say.

Wang Qigang grew even more furious: "Press? How can we press now?! Lin Dongfan's knife is already at our throats, and you still want to press?!"

He slammed the phone down and threw his mobile onto the desk.

Outside the window.

The sun set in the west.

The afterglow shone into the office, casting his shadow on the wall, stretching it long, long.

Like a dying fish struggling.