Chapter 969: Villagers Slap Magistrate Guo's Face

Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock, the Municipal Party Committee's large conference room.

The electronic display screen above the presidium clearly showed the theme of this meeting——the Municipal Leading Cadres Conference.

The main content was: announcing the Municipal Party Committee's decision on the adjustment of the main responsible comrade of the Municipal Public Security Bureau.

Seated on the presidium were the core members of the municipal-level leadership team and representatives dispatched from higher authorities. Character sat in the center, Lin Dongfan to the left, Director Qi of the Provincial Public Security Department to the right, and the others took their seats in turn.

The floor below was packed solid with the leading officials of various departments and districts.

"Comrades, today's meeting has only one main agenda item: discussing the personnel adjustment of our city's Public Security Bureau chief."

The speaker was Character.

The audience below was silent.

Luo Zhiwei, sitting in the first row below the stage, also had a blank expression, appearing as calm as still water, as if nothing could disturb his emotions.

Character adjusted a microphone and continued: "Comrade Luo Zhiwei has worked many years in the position of Faction Chief and has made contributions. But in recent years, this comrade has been lax in duty, performed inadequately, and is no longer fit to hold the current post. After research by the Municipal Party Committee, it has been decided to remove Comrade Luo Zhiwei from the post of Faction Chief and make other arrangements."

As soon as the words fell, Meng Qinghe secretly let out a breath of relief, inwardly cheering!

Character is dead set on taking down Luo Zhiwei; as long as Luo Zhiwei steps down, Fu Xinping gets a chance. Once Fu Xinping rises to power, the City Bureau cannot escape Meng Qinghe's control.

The third row below the stage.

Fu Xinping's heartbeat sped up considerably; he had been waiting for this day for Along time.

When Zheng Congwen fell from power earlier, he originally thought he had a chance to climb to the position of Political Commissar, but he never expected Luo Zhiwei to cast a veto vote.

Now that Luo Zhiwei has stepped down, it's deeply satisfying!

Fu Xinping secretly thought: "This time, even by seniority, it's my turn to rise! Moreover, with Executive Meng Qinghe's support this time, I refuse to believe it'll come to nothing again."

……

Among those seated below, some were excited, while others secretly sighed.

Just as everyone awaited Character's announcement of the new Faction Chief, Luo Zhiwei, who had remained calm throughout, suddenly stood up.

In an instant, all eyes in the hall fixed on him alone.

Meng Qinghe glanced up, a faint smile barely touching his lips, thinking: "Lao Luo, you're asking for death—do you really think you can challenge Secretary Character at this meeting?"

Fu Xinping, sitting in the back, also took a look at Luo Zhiwei.

Although he could only see the back of Luo Zhiwei's head, it didn't stop Fu Xinping from imagining Luo Zhiwei's angry expression, and just thinking about it excited him.

"Comrade Luo Zhiwei, do you have something you want to say?" Character put on an act of feigning ignorance, adopting a broad-minded posture.

"Secretary Character, I just want to ask one question."

Luo Zhiwei's voice wasn't loud, but in the quiet conference room every word was crystal clear: "What mistake have I made? On what basis do you remove me from my post?"

As soon as the words fell, the audience below erupted in an uproar!

Some sucked in a breath of cold air, others whispered privately.

Meng Qinghe, seated on the presidium, had his smile darken a bit, thinking: "Lao Luo, Lao Luo, you truly don't know what's good for you! In this setting, the more you make a fuss, the quicker you'll meet your end."

Many people's thoughts were the same as Meng Qinghe's.

Just imagine: in this setting, if you make Character unable to step down from the stage, will Character easily forgive you? After all, power rests in their hands.

But……

Some also secretly admired Lao Luo's courage.

As the saying goes, even a cornered rabbit will bite—since I'm about to be dismissed, why worry about anything? Roll up your sleeves and give it your all!

On and off the stage, hundreds of officials were all watching Character's reaction.

Character's face gradually darkened: "Comrade Luo Zhiwei, this is the organization's decision, not my personal decision."

"The organization's decision?"

Luo Zhiwei gave a cold smile.

He retorted on the spot:

"If the organization makes this decision, does it not need a reason?"

"I, Luo Zhiwei, have never taken a single cent of illicit money or done anything against my conscience in all my years as Faction Chief."

"You say I've been lax in work."

"Please, what does lax mean? Is it that I haven't completed tasks assigned by superiors on time? Or that I haven't handled the cases piling up in the bureau? What is the standard for laxity?"

"Even if we concede ten thousand steps!"

"Even if I really have been lax at work, this is merely an attitude issue."

"For an attitude issue, the organization can talk to me, criticize me, supervise me, or adjust my job position."

"But!"

"From beginning to end, the organization has never talked to me about my work attitude! To remove me outright like this needs an explanation."

No one expected that the usually quiet and taciturn Lao Luo actually had a gift for eloquence.

Some people below began to sweat.

Some secretly glanced at Character's expression on the presidium, while others stole a look at Lin Dongfan's expression.

Lin Dongfan sat there, his demeanor as steady as an old dog, as if none of this had anything to do with him, showing no expression the whole time.

By contrast, Character could hardly contain himself.

Character's face flushed with anger: "Comrade Luo Zhiwei, you keep saying you haven't been lax at work! I ask you, you bought second-hand surveillance equipment to make up the numbers, causing the citywide public security surveillance to break down across the board—isn't that a problem? Earlier, you acted as a hands-off manager, with bureau work long controlled by Zheng Congwen—isn't that a problem?"

Luo Zhiwei argued forcefully:

"Buying second-hand surveillance equipment is because the city didn't provide funds! This practice of demanding the ox pull the mill while not feeding it fodder is just extortion!"

Moreover, Zheng Congwen's control of bureau work is because he is the Political Commissar and my partner; he has the authority to direct the City Bureau's work.

"His troubles are his own problem, not mine, Luo Zhiwei."

"If this could also serve as grounds for removing me, I'd like to ask everyone present: who can guarantee they have zero problems?"

The audience below was utterly silent.

Luo Zhiwei's blast was too fierce—this damn thing isn't an Italian cannon, it's a map cannon! He's dragged everyone here into trouble.

Everyone present, who doesn't have a hint of guilt under their seat?

If we really pursue this, nobody can get away.

The officials seated below all turned their gazes onto Character; Character's face had turned extremely grim, as if he'd been shouted into muteness.

The crowd then looked to Lin Dongfan, who still appeared unconcerned, as if he had firmly decided to watch the tigers fight from the mountain.

Meng Qinghe suddenly snapped: 'Comrade Luo Zhiwei, just based on your current attitude! You defy the organization's arrangements and oppose it! Removing you from your post is completely justified!'

Hearing that, the ever-stable Lin Dongfan turned his head and glanced at Meng Qinghe seated at the end.

But Lin Dongfan said nothing at all.

He clearly understood that Meng's speaking up now was merely to give Character a way out, to help Character ease the awkward situation.

Lin Dongfan then turned his gaze toward Luo Zhiwei.

Seeing Luo Zhiwei's emotions fully erupt, he flared up and retorted at Deputy Mayor Meng: 'Deputy Mayor Meng, quit slapping random hats on me here! When have I ever opposed the organization? Now you're dismissing me for no reason and won't even let me speak in my defense? Do you really want to run a one-man show?!'

'Comrade Luo Zhiwei, watch your words! Who in the hall has silenced you? You've been speaking all along!' Character snapped sternly: 'What the heck!'

Just then, the meeting room's door was suddenly pushed open.

The secretary hurried to the edge of the podium, leaned in close, and whispered to Character: 'More than a hundred people have gathered downstairs, wanting to present Luo Zhiwei with an Item…'

Having heard only half of it, Character's face darkened.

It felt as if a sudden black cloud had enveloped him entirely; to say he wasn't agitated would be a lie—he now just wanted to know which bastard had pulled this stunt!