Chapter 977: Meeting Yao Daya Alone

Su Yang said, "Thank you, leader; your words just made my backbone much stronger."

The two talked on the phone for five minutes, and Zhang Jiangbo waited in the meeting room for five minutes.

At first it sounded nothing, but he was after all a deputy secretary of the Municipal Party Committee; to see the top leader he had stubbornly waited this long, which was indeed frustrating.

After a few more minutes he dialed Zhaikai's number again.

This time the phone rang for a while before Zhaikai answered.

"Hello, who is this?"

Zhang Jiangbo saw another black line; as a top leader, his phone should have stored their numbers.

But Zhaikai hadn't saved his number, otherwise he wouldn't have sounded so unfamiliar.

Zhang Jiangbo said, "Hello Secretary Zhaikai, I'm Zhang Jiangbo; do you have time now? If so, I'll report my work."

Zhaikai laughed, "Oh, Comrade Zhang Jiangbo, we're on the same team; no need to act like others and call for an appointment—just come knock on my door; I'm in my office."

"Don't put on that act, as if there's a step between us."

Zhang Jiangbo said, "Okay, okay, thank you Secretary Zhaikai; I'm on my way."

But inside he was cursing, "What the hell? He pretended not to know my number earlier, now he acts like we're brothers."

In officialdom there's hardly any sincere talk—everyone fools everyone else, seeing who can make the other lose patience first.

At that moment Su Yang wasn't idle either; he went straight to the Lieshan Xian Public Security Bureau Detention Center and had them call Yao Daya out.

Seeing Su Yang come to find him, Yao Daya first flashed a look of surprise, then relaxed.

"Oh, County Magistrate Su, what brings you here?"

Su Yang smiled, "I came today to inspect the Public Security Bureau's work and, by the way, to check the detention center—see if the inmates' meals have been improved over the New Year."

"People outside are eating till their mouths run with oil; we can't let the comrades inside suffer."

His words had a hidden meaning; Yao Daya understood but pretended not to.

"Yeah, it's the New Year; this is my first year here, so I probably won't get to go outside to celebrate."

"County Magistrate Su, if you have something to say, just say it—I'm already here, no need to beat around the bush, and I don't need to hide anything either."

"Your time is also precious; for the sake of the county's common people working hard, I don't want to waste yours."

Su Yang smiled, took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, tossed it to Yao Daya, and said, "I don't know how you're doing in there or if you have cigarettes, so I brought a few packs; smoke this one first."

"Since you're so straightforward, I'll cut to the chase too—let's lay everything out openly."

"As you said, you're already in here, and regarding your case, it's entirely your own doing; fundamentally it has nothing to do with me. If you'd never been involved in any illegal or disciplinary matters, nobody would be targeting you."

"But I want to know who gave you the nerve to direct your Yao family people from behind the scenes to stir up trouble."

"If causing trouble is just about grabbing a bit of profit or money, I can understand—but why frame me with a criminal case?"

"If you keep thinking like that, you're being too naive; I, Su Yang, didn't get where I am today by being pure as driven snow with no handles."

"I also have a bit of sense, and the Lieshan Xian Public Security Bureau people aren't pushovers."

Yao Daya chuckled, "Why ask me that? Whoever comes to see me, you'll find out by checking—or maybe you already know in your heart—but I tell you the truth: I really had nothing to do with this."

"Besides, I don't even know what criminal case you're talking about."

"Think about it: I'm already a prisoner; even if I once had some prestige in our clan, once you're locked up, who still gives you face?"

Su Yang said lightly, "They certainly have to give you face, because your sand-mining account book is in your hand—you know exactly how many people took part in the sand profits and how they were split, and how the Yao family's earnings are divided; even in here, without your nod, nothing can move forward."

"You think nobody knows about this? Wrong—nobody wants to bring it up, because it's already in the past."

"Besides, illegal mining aside, I know you've sold off sand worth at least several million over the years; if that charge sticks, you'll never get out."

"What also puzzles me is that when you turned yourself in you came to my office, we had a heart‑to‑heart talk, and you even handed me a USB drive."

"I looked at what was on it; back then I didn't know why you kept holding onto it instead of releasing it, but it turns out you were using the sand‑mining matter as leverage, so the county officials dare not speak up."

"I used to think the biggest tumor in Wild Mountain County was Geng Miao; remove him and the common people could finally see the sky."

"Now it's clear that wasn't enough—and no wonder your town could resist Geng Miao's control."

"I just want to know why you did this; also I can be frank: others come to you to have you arrange these things only because they think a higher‑ranking county party secretary has arrived."

"Or maybe my wording is off; it should be that I'm the deputy secretary of the Municipal Party Committee."

"With that top leader in our county, I, Su Yang, am being completely manipulated by them—right?"

"I tell you, two people died and this sparked a clan armed conflict; the impact is terrible, the county has already held a standing‑committee meeting and reported it to the Jinzhou Municipal Party Committee."

"Besides, since I came to Lieshan Xian everything I've done has been for the county's development and the common people's benefit; you're a native of Lieshan Xian—do you really want it to stay as it was, leaving the people hungry and cold?"

"Or do you want this hard‑won opportunity to be sacrificed just because of some people's political games?"

Yao Daya, who had been leaning back in his chair, suddenly sat up: "No, what are you saying? Two lives lost and a clan feud—did this really reach the city level?"

Su Yang replied, "Do you think I'm joking with you here? If it were really such a big matter, wouldn't someone have notified you?"