Reborn as a Noble’s Son - Chapter 611

Chapter 611: Chapter 567 Secretary Chen doesn’t give face_1
 

“Bad news is coming!”

At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also gave a bitter smile. As they say, one’s success and failure both lie in the same person, his intensive positioning was supposed to secure his future. However, now he is in trouble. This is the so-called balance in politics. His opponents would not allow him to construct his safe future without interference. He nodded and said, “Secretary Li, you have also received the news, haven’t you?”

Li Taishi nodded. On such matters, there was no need for Li Taishi to conceal anything. As a Standing Committee Member of the Provincial Party and Secretary of Wanghai Municipal Party Committee, Li Taishi had his robust channels of information. Even if it was not possible before he took up the position of Secretary, now, whichever family in Jingcheng Li Taishi wanted to join, they would undoubtedly welcome him.

The background of an official on this level is easily discernible. In cases where they don’t need nurturing and can instantly turn into a vice-governor, anyone would agree. Of course, loyalty might be compromised, but that was not an issue. When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. Even if someone is a direct descendant, they would still look for other paths to secure their own interests. Therefore, loyalty is not a problem at all.

“Mayor Zhenbang, this time, I’m afraid there’s going to be movement.” Li Taishi’s tone was calm, as if he wasn’t talking about himself.

Nie Zhenbang also laughed, “Secretary Li, this time, I’m afraid it’s a storm brewing. However, I’m not worried. Taizu once said, ‘To fight with Heaven is endless joy, to fight with Earth is endless joy, to fight with others is endless joy.’

Seeing Nie Zhenbang’s attitude, Li Taishi gave a small smile, nodded and said, “Wanghai City, with its great economic potential, might be dependent on you in the future.”

…

Around nine in the morning the next day,

At the jurisdictional boundary between Quanhai City and Wanghai City on the Minwang Expressway, all the top leaders of the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee and City Government arrived at the scene. Along the sides of the emergency stop lane of the highway, a line of dark, compact cars were parked. At both ends, there was a police car each, their lights blinking. All the vehicles had their double yellow hazard warning lights turned on.

At the end of the fleet, a few scattered workers and two uniformed police officers were standing behind, frequently using their phones to communicate.

About half past nine, a few workers came up from behind and tapped the glass of the first vehicle. Immediately after, the leaders of the four big groups of the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee got out of the car.

The weather in August was rather scorching. Although it was morning, it felt hot. The sunlight was too harsh, causing all the leaders to wait inside the cars and enjoy the air conditioning.

Now, it was time for the Provincial Party Secretary Chen Renqing’s car to arrive. It was then that they all got out of the cars. At the forefront was Li Taishi, the Municipal Party Committee Secretary and Director of the Standing Committee of the Municipal People’s Congress, walking in the middle. To his left was Mayor Nie Zhenbang, and to his right was Hu Zhongcheng, the chairman of the CPPCC. Behind the three of them were the leaders of the Municipal Standing Committee.

A few minutes later, a provincial government’s no. 1 car, guided by a police car, also appeared within everyone’s view.

Chen Renqing was sitting in the back of the driver’s seat, lying back and gazing at the scenery outside the window in a daze. Upfront, the secretary turned his head and said in a low voice, “Secretary, the leaders of Wanghai City are waiting to greet us. Shall we?”

Upon hearing this, Chen Renqing sat up and looked through the window. Seeing the crowd, he said solemnly, “Pull over for a moment.”

The car slowly pulled over, and the leaders of Wanghai City also came forward. The car window slowly rolled down, and Chen Renqing looked at the crowd from Wanghai City. He nodded slightly and said, “You are all too polite. On the highway, we shouldn’t obstruct traffic. Everyone, get back in your cars. Comrade Taishi, come with me.”

After saying this, Chen Renqing raised the car window. At this moment, Li Taishi walked to the passenger side, opened the car door and got in.

The other officials from Wanghai City watched as the car of Secretary Chen of the provincial committee began to move slowly guided by the lead car towards Wanghai City.

At this moment, Nie Zhenbang sneered to himself, Chen Renqing really didn’t give him any face. Even on the highway, it wouldn’t have taken long to get out of the car and shake hands one by one. However, Chen Renqing presented his excuses quite nobly. His reasons were overwhelming and justified, and there was nothing he could do about it.

The convoy sped along, guided by the lead car, with vehicles ahead consciously moving aside. By ten o’clock, the convoy exited the Minwang Expressway and the siren of the lead car was blared. Along the route, temporary traffic control was implemented at each intersection by the traffic police, allowing the convoy to directly enter the compound of the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee and City Government.

As soon as Chen Renqing got off the car, he shook hands with the leaders of the four major departments of the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee and then laughed, saying, “Comrade Taishi, let’s go to the Municipal Party Committee meeting room first. I’ve heard that Wanghai City is implementing some kind of ‘Three Public Regulations.’ I’d like to hear about your implementation.”

The Three Public Regulations is the most controversial issue in Wanghai City. Since its inception, there has never been a lull in opposition and questioning. However, with Nie Zhenbang’s strong authority and reputation, combined with the unified understanding of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee, these voices were suppressed. Now, with Chen Renqing’s remarks, it’s clear the kettle is being brought to a boil again.

Li Taishi was taken aback. He was well aware of some news at the central level that Chen Renqing was about to step down and most likely assume a deputy role in the National Political Consultative Conference or the National People’s Congress, and retire. In other words, Chen Renqing’s chance at the core leadership is over. It was a heavy blow.

Now, there is a unified understanding at the central government that the team in Wanghai City needs to be reshuffled. In fact, at this point, whether it is Secretary General Yuan or Prime Minister Yun, all of them are fundamentally considering the overall situation.

In order for Vice Chairman Shen and Vice Premier Leng to succeed smoothly, in this situation, when the Li family and the Chen family proposed reshuffling the team in Wanghai City, Secretary General Yuan had no choice but to compromise. Nie Zhenbang is still too far away. It’s not something to consider now. Besides, who doesn’t undergo layers of tests and trials before entering the inner circle.

Now that Chen Renqing has suddenly arrived, he must have been instigated by the Li family and the Chen family. Personally, the end of Chen Renqing’s career, and political life, is tied to Nie Zhenbang’s investigation of the Eastern Sea Group. This is an inextricable enmity. From a family perspective, the Chen family and the Li family are now in a state of opposition against the Nie family and the Yang family.

Yang Shengli of the Yang family has a good chance of entering the core circle, while Nie Guodong of the Nie family has also joined the game. In contrast, the Chen family’s most hopeful candidate, Chen Renqing, has capsize.

As for the Eastern Sea Group issue, it’s not that Chen Renqing didn’t understand it. But Chen Renqing didn’t dare to touch it, and didn’t want to either. He was only one year away from his smooth departure. Oddly enough, it was this last year that trapped him.

In the Li family, Li Jiangshan also had high hopes, but he was likewise thwarted by Nie Zhenbang. This is a matter of life and death enmity. It’s just that the Li and Chen families can’t find Nie Zhenbang’s fatal weakness.

Believe it or not, given the opportunity, the Li and Chen families would definitely not give up this golden opportunity.

In the Municipal Party Committee meeting room, Chen Renqing sat at the main seat. Beside him was the Secretary General of the Provincial Party Committee, Wang Yaguang, with Li Taishi and Nie Zhenbang sitting on either side.

After glancing at everyone, Chen Renqing’s gaze landed on Nie Zhenbang. His expression was complex, a mixture of resentment and hatred. Quickly, Chen Renqing said, “Comrade Yafu, you’re the Minister of Organization. I heard that the execution of the Three Public Regulations is directly linked with the promotion and appointment of cadres. Why don’t you speak about it?”

Since Chen Renqing joined forces with the party in Wanghai City, he had displayed an eerie state of affairs. Firstly, he didn’t shake hands with the officials of Wanghai City on the highway. Secondly, as soon as he arrived in Wanghai City, he broached the subject of the implementation of the Three Public Regulations. Now, he specifically asked Liu Yafu to report, marking the third instance.

Notably the last one, which should have most appropriately been reported by the drafter of the Three Public Regulations, Nie Zhenbang. Even if Mayor Nie didn’t report, Secretary Li could have done it. Even if they had to find someone, the Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee Qi Siyuan would have been a much more suitable choice than Liu Yafu. Chen Renqing’s remark, clearly, carried some covert meaning.

Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang exchanged glances with the Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee Qi Siyuan and Executive Deputy Mayor Li Xiangtian.

What ill-intended individual was behind this? Chen Renqing evidently didn’t intend to show any respect, and arguably, wanted to drive a wedge into the standing committee.

At Nie Zhenbang’s subtle nod, Liu Yafu said, “Secretary Chen, the Three Public Regulations have been implemented for about a month. From what we can see, the overall result is quite good. According to statistics, in this one-month period, the fiscal expenditure of the whole city of Wanghai has decreased by more than 1.6 million yuan compared to the same period last year. In addition, according to a recent public opinion survey, the people of Wanghai City now have the highest expectations and trust in the current leadership…”

Liu Yafu’s remarks were entirely pragmatic, but they were quite shocking to Chen Renqing. 1.6 million doesn’t seem like much, but over the course of a year, it adds up to more than 10 million. This is just the mathematical logic. It’s safe to say that at the end of the year and during holidays, when official entertainment is in full swing, the number would be even higher. And this is just for the city agencies and bureaus. If implemented citywide, it could save at least 30-40 million in a year. That’s not a small sum.

What’s even more remarkable is how popular Nie Zhenbang is in Wanghai City. The evaluation of a cadre’s work certainly has to consider development, but reputation is also an indispensable part. With the support of his constituents, Nie Zhenbang is on an unassailable footing. At this moment, Chen Renqing is more certain of his views. Wanghai City cannot let Nie Zhenbang continue like this, or else, in a couple of years, Wanghai would become another city like Lirizhou. (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)