Chapter 962

The door was pushed open, and Qi Ting walked in.

He glanced at the people present, his expression normal, his pace unhurried, and directly greeted Jiang Huan-tian, who was seated in the chief seat: "Secretary Jiang, are you looking for me?"

"Please find a seat first."

Jiang Huan-tian pointed to an empty seat at the end.

"Thank you, Secretary Jiang."

Originally there was no seat for Qi Ting on the Standing Committee; today he could sit at the same conference table with these bigwigs, yet he felt no excitement.

As soon as he entered, he sensed that the atmosphere was a bit off.

Jiang Huan-tian asked: "Do you know about what happened last night at Entertainment Emperor KTV?"

"Clear." Qi Ting nodded: "Yang Qing reported it to me."

Jiang Huan-tian said: "Go ahead and tell us."

Hmm.

Qi Ting glanced at the faces of everyone present.

When his gaze swept over Character.

Qi Ting deliberately lingered for two seconds, wondering whether this Guo was just being foolish or actually had something, unexpectedly taking the same old path that Wang Qigang had taken—opposing Lin Dongfan.

But it doesn't matter.

No matter what your background, if you want to take a swipe at me, Qi Ting, you also need to see whether your knife is truly that sharp.

Qi Ting set aside his wandering thoughts and steadied himself.

He reported to Jiang Huan-tian calmly:

"Secretary Jiang, fellow standing committee members, the situation is as follows.

Around 9:20 p. m. last night.

Comrade Meng Qinghe's son Meng Yu led thirteen idle social individuals, wielding baseball bats and other implements, and stormed into the third-floor private room of Entertainment Emperor KTV.

At that time, the people in the private room were Comrade Lin Dongfan, Comrade Yang Qing, and Lin Dongfan's driver and son.

Those people, without a word, rushed in and started fighting.

This was not an incidental clash.

"But a deliberate, pre-prepared malicious attack!"

When he uttered the words "malicious attack," Qi Ting deliberately emphasized his tone to stress the severity of the incident, which had reached a level of universal outrage.

Character stared coldly and questioned: "Are you sure Meng Yu rushed in and got involved in the fighting?"

"Although Meng Yu himself did not rush into the private room to fight, he directed from the hallway and is the planner and organizer of this assault."

Saying this, Qi Ting produced the prepared copies of the investigation materials.

He stood up and handed each standing committee member a copy.

Qi Ting returned to his seat.

He then continued:

"Last night, after the thirteen people stormed into the private room, they attacked anyone they saw.

Fortunately, Lin Dongfan's driver had a bodyguard background and exceptional skills; in this assault, Comrade Lin Dongfan, Comrade Yang Qing, and the others all remained unharmed.

The thirteen attackers, however, sustained injuries of varying degrees.

The surveillance inside the private room recorded the entire process in full.

Currently, all individuals involved in the case have been detained.

After overnight interrogation, those thirteen people have all clarified the matter; they uniformly stated that Meng Yu was the organizer and planner of this incident.

Meng Yu's purpose was clear: to take revenge on Lin Dongfan's son, Lin Fuxing.

Specific details.

"These are all written in the investigation materials."

When Qi Ting spoke to this point, everyone present looked at the materials in their hands.

The meeting room fell silent all at once.

But Character's heart could not calm down.

He stared at the materials in his hand, growing more doubtful; the details written on them were completely at odds with what Meng Qinghe had told him earlier.

Character put down the materials in his hand.

He cast a doubtful glance at Qi Ting: "Qi Ting, I've heard you have a close personal relationship with Comrade Lin Dongfan. Outside, there are even rumors that you once used Yang Qing's reinstatement as a bargaining chip in a private deal with Lin Dongfan to gain your own advancement. Could this material of yours be mixed with personal feelings?"

That question was not light; it essentially gave no face at all.

All the standing committee members present raised their heads, their gazes converging on Qi Ting. Deng Chun-ning, meanwhile, held her teacup, the corners of her mouth slightly raised, waiting to see the show.

Qi Ting looked at the impolite Character, neither angry nor nervous; his expression was calm, and even the corner of his mouth turned up with a faint smile.

He knew very well that Character was trying to find an excuse to make a fuss.

If the "interest exchange" between him and Lin Dongfan were proven, Character would then suspect him of colluding privately with Lin Dongfan for personal gain.

In that case,

Everything he says here today would lack credibility, including the investigation materials he just handed out, which would be wholly rejected.

This matter cannot be answered head-on; one must learn diplomatic phrasing.

Responding directly would very likely lead into a self-incrimination trap! Once caught in a trap requiring self-exoneration, one would inevitably be picked apart for details and loopholes.

Qi Ting gave a faint smile.

He decisively leapt out of the self-incrimination trap and turned the tables on Character: "If I had to step out and clarify every baseless rumor, then there would be no point in my being the director of the Public Security Bureau. Just dealing with these groundless malicious slanders each day is already enough to be annoying—where would I find time to attend to anything else?"

Upon hearing this, Character's smile turned a bit stiff; he hadn't expected that Qi Ting was also a wily old fox, merely using the four words "baseless rumors" to toss the problem back at him.

Now, on the contrary, it has made Character appear to harbor malicious slander.

Character glanced at Deng Chunning, hoping Deng Chunning would say a word. Unexpectedly, Deng Chunning lowered his head to drink tea, completely ignoring his gaze signal, seemingly deliberately avoiding.

Character had no choice but to steel himself and personally respond: "As the saying goes, no wind, no waves. Since such rumors exist outside, you have the responsibility and duty to clarify this issue……"

"Comrade Binghua."

Luo Xiang suddenly cut off Character's words.

He tactfully criticized, saying: "Today's agenda is to discuss Wuzhou's public security issue; don't stray from the topic."

Character instantly felt depressed and had nothing to say.

Luo Xiang further steered the topic back on track: "The investigation materials show that those who attacked Lin Dongfan and Yang Qing last night have all admitted they were acting under Meng Yu's orders. Yang Qing arrested Meng Yu on the spot, which is reasonable and lawful. Now I want to hear your explanation: why are you instead criticizing Comrades Lin Dongfan and Yang Qing for abusing their authority?"

……!!!

Luo Xiang's question was like a sword sealing the throat, instantly putting Character in the line of fire.

Seeing Character being refuted to the point he couldn't back down.

Jiang Huan tian suddenly spoke: "Comrade Secretary Binghua, next time it's best to first clarify the ins and outs of the matter, then bring it to the Standing Committee for discussion."

"I reflect, this matter is because I didn't understand it comprehensively enough."

Character lowered his head in embarrassment; expressions like sitting on pins and needles, feeling a prickle in the back, a bone in the throat… were insufficient to describe his current mood.

He only realized at this moment:

Although Lin Dongfan is not a member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee, in Wuzhou and even throughout Jianglan Province, he holds a position that no one can shake.

Even Secretary Jiang didn't want to delve into Lin Dongfan's problem.

If I continue to remain unclear about my position, I fear I'll end up like Wang Qigang.

Wuzhou!

What is needed is not a Municipal Party Committee secretary who coordinates the overall situation!

What is needed is someone willing to lower their stature to cooperate with Lin Dongfan!

Having realized this.

Character couldn't help but mutter to himself: "Old leader, old leader, you had me come to Wuzhou to take charge of the overall situation—was it meant to give me a chance to show my abilities? This is clearly sending me here to be cannon fodder……"