Chapter 412: One Mountain Cannot Contain Two Tigers

After Liu Qimeng finished listening to my report, he slapped the desk, his face livid, and remained silent for a long time.

I let out a sigh of relief, as if a stone that had been pressing on my heart had fallen. Killing two birds with one stone—it was nothing more than this. Liu Qimeng and Guan Peishan had been tied together for a lifetime; usually, everyone greeted each other with smiles, saying "you're good, I'm good, everyone's good." Once they truly encountered a matter, neither wanted anything but the other's death.

The former Secretary, Guan Peishan, didn't put County Magistrate Liu Qimeng in his eyes at all. In Guan Peishan's view, Liu Qimeng was a pedantic person who couldn't achieve big things. Those who read ancient books learned things about governing the country and managing the household from Confucianism. Guan Peishan had also read ancient books, but his exposure was limited.

Guan Peishan participated in the student movement at fifteen, learning a set of radical theories. Later, when he participated in revolutionary construction, he discarded everything he had originally learned as dross. But Liu Qimeng was different; while the outside world was engulfed in flames of war, he was still in his small room, reading only the books of sages.

Because of work needs, the two were tied together by the organization, but they could never pee into the same pot.

Logically speaking, Liu Qimeng, as a County Magistrate, was the rightful boss at the government level. But Guan Peishan didn't care about that, demanding that all work of the County Government must be approved by the County Committee before it could proceed.

Liu Qimeng was like a sulking young wife, and Guan Peishan was like a mother-in-law with bound feet. The two didn't see eye to eye, and there were inevitably deviations in handling matters.

The Municipal Committee had also heard about the two of them, but they never separated them. The reason was simple: mutual restraint.

The actual situation was that Guan Peishan could restrain Liu Qimeng, but Liu Qimeng couldn't shake Guan Peishan in the slightest.

As the saying goes, thirty years east of the river, forty years west. Liu Qimeng finally caught an opportunity. This opportunity was my cousin-uncle going to Hengyue City to take office.

Among the cadres of Hengyue City, from the Municipal Party Secretary Chen down to all the cadres of the Municipal Committee and Municipal Government, there were almost no outsiders. Although local cadres were familiar with the work, because they were too familiar, they inevitably formed large relationship networks. Therefore, in the Hengyue City officialdom, the official language was the local Hengyue dialect.

When Hengyue City cadres appeared on television news, they opened their mouths and spoke in dialect, which made many Hengyue people from other places feel ashamed. Just imagine, if cadres couldn't even speak Mandarin well, how high could their quality be? And what kind of business could they lead the common people to achieve?

In the Hengyue local officialdom, phenomena like father-son bureau chiefs, brother-sister secretaries, and brother-in-law section chiefs were everywhere. Any small cadre, standing behind whom, no one dared to underestimate. Even a small clerk might have a figure standing behind them who was beyond reach.

Guan Peishan was a native cadre who had operated in the Hengyue City officialdom for a lifetime. His relationship network couldn't be explained in a single sentence. Pulling out one of his radishes, one didn't know how much mud would be brought out.

Therefore, Liu Qimeng looked at the Hengyue officialdom, and the opportunities to shake Guan Peishan were few and far between.

My cousin-uncle parachuted into Hengyue City at this time. Liu Qimeng followed closely, like a hunting dog smelling prey.

In this way, Guan Peishan's problems began to be gradually exposed, leading to him being interviewed by the Discipline Inspection Commission. Liu Qimeng gained the upper hand and grabbed the position of County Party Secretary under his own butt. He originally thought that from then on, the world would be peaceful, but who would have expected Guan Peishan to transform himself and become a cadre of the Hengyue City Economic Leading Group, arriving in Chunshan County with even greater airs.

Guan Peishan was not a member of the County Standing Committee, but he had to attend Standing Committee meetings. On some key issues, without his, Guan Peishan's, nod, things couldn't be done.

Liu Qimeng had a fire burning in his heart, with nowhere to vent.

Guan Peishan had operated in Chunshan County for a lifetime; which bureau or office wasn't his own people? Without Guan Peishan, these people weren't even dogs. When Guan Peishan lost power, they restrained themselves for a while, but when Guan Peishan arrived in Chunshan County again and attended the County Standing Committee meetings, those who had wavered quickly followed him again. This formed a hostage situation against Liu Qimeng; no matter how Liu Qimeng jumped with rage, they just watched coldly.

My taking office changed the pattern somewhat. All cadres knew I had a cousin-uncle who was a Deputy Municipal Party Secretary, and a future father-in-law who was the Minister of the Municipal Organization Department. With these assets, my backbone was much thicker than others.

My choice of sides directly determined the benchmark for these cadres.

I naturally understood this very well, so I never showed a tendency toward either side in choosing sides. This attitude of mine left the cadres at a loss.

I couldn't have too much tendency! Although I understood that I was currently sailing with the wind. But who dares to conclude that fate won't be mixed with sad notes in the midst of triumph?

I reported the Qilin Villa matter to Liu Qimeng in detail, which was just giving him a favor. If there was something wrong with Qilin Villa, Liu Qimeng would have contributed significantly. If there was nothing wrong with Qilin Villa, creating a stir would add trouble to Guan Peishan and disgust him!

I still had prejudices against Guan Peishan. Back then, he had the Discipline Inspection Commission interview me; if I hadn't been firm in my stance, I might have been his prisoner long ago.

Of course, these were inseparable from Huang Weiwei and her mother. Without their day-and-night travel to seek help, without Minister Huang Shan's open or secret instructions, once I entered Guan Peishan's birdcage, could I have come out?

I'm not saying I had no problems. Current cadres, no matter how clear, cannot withstand investigation. Without investigation, everyone is Kong Fansen; once investigated, everyone is Wang Baosen. A single agricultural products company in Suxi Township could overturn me.

Whose butt among the cadres doesn't have shit?

I could come out safely and be promoted; on one hand, I was the result of their struggle, and on the other hand, I was relying on nepotism.

"Investigate, resolutely investigate! Investigate to the end. No matter who is involved, never show mercy." Liu Qimeng's remaining anger hadn't subsided.

I could vaguely see a hint of a smile spreading from the corners of his mouth.

If Hao Qiang's investigation was true, Qilin Villa would fall into disaster. The officials at all levels who followed would have to bear the consequences.

I didn't know how many cadres in Chunshan County were involved. But I knew that as long as someone had some status in Chunshan County, they must have frequented Qilin Villa.

I knew the content of Liu Qimeng's smile. Guan Peishan was stationed at Qilin Villa; what a joyful thing that was.

The current Guan Peishan was like a lump of yellow mud falling into his pants; even if it wasn't shit, it was shit.

But Liu Qimeng didn't expect that before I came to his office, I had already had Yu Wei invite Guan Peishan out of Qilin Villa.

"This matter cannot be delayed!" Liu Qimeng said solemnly: "It must be fast, with the speed of lightning, resolutely strike at crime. Don't give them any chance to take advantage."

I wanted to speak but stopped.

Liu Qimeng relaxed his tone and said: "What other thoughts do you have?"

I said hesitantly: "It cannot be delayed. But I think, for this matter, it's better to use police from another jurisdiction."

Liu Qimeng looked at me and smiled meaningfully: "You are indeed thoughtful."

I smiled modestly and told him again about the Public Security Bureau Director having already gone to the Municipal Bureau to report.

Liu Qimeng looked at me and asked suspiciously: "How many more things haven't you told me?"

I spread my hands and said: "None. Just these things. However, we are all waiting for your instructions. Without your instructions, we dare not act rashly."

Liu Qimeng smiled with satisfaction, took a pack of cigarettes from the cabinet and threw it to me, saying: "Smoke less, young man, the task is still very heavy."

I patted my chest and said: "Secretary, don't worry, my body is fine."

Liu Qimeng picked up his bag from the desk and said: "Let's go to the Municipal Committee."

I declined: "Secretary, I still have something to handle. I think I won't go to the Municipal Committee. You personally taking the field, this matter is basically a foregone conclusion."

Liu Qimeng saw that I truly didn't intend to go with him, so he had to smile and say: "Alright, you watch for me at home, I'll go."

I followed Liu Qimeng downstairs and watched his car leave the County Committee compound.

Standing under the propaganda board, I pulled out my phone and called Yu Wei: "Did you bring him?"

Yu Wei said eagerly on the phone: "The old Secretary won't come. He said there's no need to be so complicated for a meal. He invites you, Boss, to Qilin Villa."

I said with dissatisfaction: "Xiao Yu, can't you even handle such a small matter?"

Yu Wei didn't dare to speak, and after a long while, said in a low voice: "I know what the old Secretary means; he wants you to invite him personally."

I laughed dumbly; Old Guan, oh Old Guan, don't you know that a big net is being cast over your head?

Heaven-made sins can be lived through, but man-made sins cannot!

I sighed and hung up the phone, thinking of Liu Qimeng's vicious gaze, and felt a chill in my heart. ===== CHAPTER 413 =====