Chapter 7: The Lone Traveler

  Lu Zhong attended his first county committee meeting in Qinglong on Wednesday afternoon.

  The spacious and bright conference room on the fourth floor of the new office building, with a red national flag and party flag hanging on the back wall, looks very solemn.

  A rectangular conference table with Ma Weiguo sitting in the middle, and the other 8 members of the Qinglong County Committee seated on either side.

  Lu Zhong, Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee and Acting County Governor; Qu Xuanxun, Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee and Chairman of the County Political Consultative Conference; Tan Wusi, Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee and Vice Governor; Wang Baogang, Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee and Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection; Qin Jiahao, Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee and Secretary of the Politics and Law Committee; Wang Zhensheng, Member of the Standing Committee of the County Party Committee and Director of the Publicity Department; Hao Baishan, Member of the Standing Committee of the County Party Committee and Director of the Organization Department; Li Yufeng, Member of the Standing Committee of the County Party Committee and Director of the People's Armed Forces Department.

  Because Ma Weiguo, Secretary of the Party Committee, concurrently serves as Director of the People's Congress and Qu Xianyou, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, concurrently serves as Chairman of the Political Consultative Conference, both of them also concurrently serve as Secretaries of the Party Groups of the People's Congress and the Political Consultative Conference, participating in meetings as members of the Standing Committee with the identity of the party group secretaries of the two sets of People's Congress and Political Consultative Conference.

  Other attendees at the meeting included Li Hongsheng, Vice Chairman of the People's Congress and Deputy Secretary of the Party Group, Zhang Haoshun, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC and Minister of the United Front Department, Wang Nihong, Member of the County Government Party Group, Vice County Governor, and Chairman of the County General Labor Union, Xu Aini, Secretary of the Communist Youth League Qinglong County Committee, and Cheng Hong, Director of the County Party Committee Office and Deputy Secretary of the County Discipline Inspection Commission.

  At the same time, due to Liu Pingnan, the original county party secretary, being removed from office for violating organizational discipline, under the leadership of Secretary Ma Weiguo, all cadres in Qinglong County are now carrying out a rectification movement of self-examination, self-correction, criticism and self-criticism. This is also the main agenda of today's Standing Committee meeting.

  The meeting was supervised by Deng Qihong, director of the county party committee's rectification office and deputy secretary of the county discipline inspection commission, Hong Tao, president of the county court, Huo Xiaobin, procurator-general of the county people's procuratorate, Gao Zhikai, head of the county public security bureau, as well as heads of the public security, procuratorial and judicial departments also attended the meeting.

  In addition, another important agenda of the Standing Committee today is the pre-mobilization preparation work for the golf course project, and leaders from relevant departments such as the Planning Commission, Construction Commission, Agriculture Commission, Materials Bureau, Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, etc., as well as party and government principals from several towns (communes) involved in land acquisition also attended the meeting.

  This meeting can be seen as a small-scale enlarged meeting of the Standing Committee.

  The meeting had just begun, and the atmosphere was already tense. Ma Weiguo's teacup shattered loudly as he severely criticized the corruption and degeneration of some cadres. "Comrades, after this period of self-examination and self-correction, I have found that our cadre team has many problems, and I am deeply grieved!"

  Ma Weiguo's face was very heavy, and his loud voice clearly conveyed to every ear on the scene. "Many of our comrades have problems with their immunity, facing all kinds of ugly phenomena in the economic revitalization, not only dare not to fight bravely, but also indulge in enjoyment, until they become prisoners of money! Comrades, this phenomenon is not accidental, but a long-term accumulation process. Dust will not sweep itself away if it is not swept away. Now, we need to blow off the dust, wash our faces, and if the broom doesn't reach, the dust won't run away by itself."

  At this time, the director of the county party committee office and deputy secretary of the county discipline inspection commission, Cheng Hong, and some staff members distributed some materials to each standing committee member and attending cadres.

  Ma Weiguo's loud voice echoed throughout the venue: "After the working groups of the Discipline Inspection Commission, Organization Department and other departments have sorted out and investigated the materials reported by cadres and masses, petitioned and visited, I think that our Qinglong cadres are generally good, but some comrades have indeed had such and such problems."

  Lu Zhong flipped through the materials in his hand, which were the results of a joint investigation by three departments and commissions on the recent self-examination and self-correction activities among cadres. Among them, three county-level (actually at the department level) leaders were exposed to have various serious problems, and several deputy county-level (deputy departmental) cadres were investigated to have such and such problems.

  Lu Zhong slowly lit a cigarette and observed the reactions of the other Standing Committee members.

  It's clear that this is a prelude to a large-scale purge of cadres. Logically, Ma Weiguo shouldn't have directly brought it up for discussion at the Standing Committee meeting; at the very least, he should have first sounded out some opinions at the secretaries' informal meeting. However, before the Standing Committee meeting was held, Ma Weiguo didn't convene a secretaries' informal meeting; apparently, he had already discussed it with a few close colleagues on the Standing Committee. As for this new county head, in Ma Weiguo's eyes, he was just a figurehead.

  Most of the Standing Committee members showed no unusual expressions on their faces, some were drinking tea, some were taking notes, some were smoking, and others listened very seriously to Ma Weiguo's speech.

  "Punish one to warn a hundred! For cadres who have made mistakes, we must deal with them seriously and sound the alarm for future cadres! That's my attitude, Ma Weiguo!"

  Ma Weiguo ended his speech with a powerful gesture.

  Next, the Standing Committee members expressed their views, supporting Secretary Ma Weiguo's tone for this self-examination and self-correction movement. Minister of Propaganda Wang Zhen even gave a big lecture on Liu Pingnan's misdeeds, saying that he had been deceived by him before. Now that Secretary Weiguo is in charge, he will surely set things right and create a new situation with the Qinglong cadres' new style.

  "Comrades...", the deputy secretary of the county committee and chairman of the CPPCC, Qu Xuan, was very old, with deep wrinkles and age spots on his face, dull eyes, and a seemingly weak tone when speaking. But as soon as he spoke, the venue immediately fell silent, apparently, this old man was a formidable figure.

  Lu Zhong had already defined him in his heart.

  "Comrades... Secretary Weiguo's words have touched my heart. I'm thinking, doesn't our CPPCC also bear some responsibility? Haven't we failed to fulfill the role of advising and warning Comrade Pingshan? As the head of the CPPCC, I feel ashamed! Secretary Weiguo, I offer you my self-criticism."

  Ma Weiguo smiled and said, "Director Qu, if you say so, I must reflect on myself. When Comrade Pingnan had problems, I was the county magistrate, and many cadres who followed Comrade Pingnan to have problems were heads of government departments, my responsibility is even greater."

  At this time, Deng Qihong, director of the county party committee's rectification office and deputy secretary of the discipline inspection commission, raised his hand.

  Qu Dajun nodded, "Hmm, Director Deng, you have something to say? Then speak out! Today, comrades must liberate their thoughts and speak freely, without fear of being bombarded. Secretary Wei Guo and I are prepared to be bombarded. To fundamentally solve the problem, we cannot be afraid of thunder, nor can we be afraid of exposing scars!"

  Deng Qihong was over thirty years old, with a buzz cut, thick eyebrows and big eyes, looking very spirited. He seemed to be full of energy and had a strong fighting spirit. His first sentence shocked everyone in the room.

  "I think that in the past two years, our Qinglong cadres have had all sorts of problems and large-scale discipline violations. The Discipline Inspection Commission bears responsibility for this, specifically, Secretary Wang Baogang who is in charge of the work of the Discipline Inspection Commission, has an inescapable responsibility!"

  Deng Qihong's speech was very intense, and it became more and more intense: "Since Secretary Wang Baogang took charge of the discipline inspection work, he has been completely indifferent to the discipline inspection work. He often turns a blind eye to cadres who violate discipline. If Secretary Pingnan has made a phone call about a cadre, he would arbitrarily think that this cadre is not a problem. For this reason, he has several times abnormally terminated our filing and investigation of some cadres. Comrade Pingnan's corruption and the stagnation of Qinglong's discipline inspection work are all responsibilities that Secretary Wang Baogang must bear."

  As soon as Deng Qihong finished speaking, Propaganda Minister Wang Zhen immediately followed up with a speech that also sharply criticized Wang Baogang by name.

  After the initial shock, some cadres followed suit and made speeches criticizing Wang Baogang.

  Wang Baogang was a big fat man, so fat that he seemed to be panting heavily after walking just two steps. He didn't say a word, but his hand holding the teacup was slightly trembling, revealing his extreme anger inside.

  Party stick! From this, in Lu Zhong's eyes, Qu Yang had been defined as a party stick who was good at and enthusiastic about political struggles. He should have an unknown interest connection with Ma Weiguo, wearing the same pants.

  Qu Yang first brought up the topic, followed by Deng Qihong firing a shot to guide the direction of the meeting. This was completely the same routine as during the Cultural Revolution when engaging in political struggle. Moreover, they did not hesitate to name and criticize high-ranking officials.

  Obviously, although the Cultural Revolution has ended, this means of political struggle is still prevalent and only gradually disappeared after a considerable period of time.

  There is no doubt that Ma Weiguo wants to make Wang Baogang stink, at least after this Standing Committee meeting, Wang Baogang's prestige in the Discipline Inspection Commission and among all county cadres will suffer a severe blow, and will drop to an all-time low.

  Nowadays, in some areas where the county party committee secretary is extremely powerful, it is not uncommon for the director of the county party committee office to concurrently serve as the secretary of the discipline inspection commission and become a member of the standing committee.

  Ma Weiguo, did you think so too?

  Lu Zhong slowly inhaled his cigarette, amidst the swirling smoke, he quietly observed everyone's reactions within the meeting room.

  Lu Zhong observes others, and there are also people who have been observing him all along.

  Organization Department Minister Hao Baishan has always been very interested in Lu Zhong, who is now the county magistrate driving a Santana, and it's hard to find anyone else who can do this. As the party secretary of a large joint venture, he adds a bit of mystery to the new county magistrate.

  However, Hao Baishan also knew clearly that in Qinglong, this new county magistrate was a lone wanderer, and could even be said to be just a figurehead.

  In the cadre team adjustment after Liu Pingnan's downfall, it almost fully realized Wei Guo's will. This self-examination and rectification campaign is Wei Guo taking revenge in autumn, settling accounts for the humiliation he suffered when he was suppressed by Liu Pingnan.

  Disciplinary Committee Secretary Wang Baogang has always been close to Liu Pingnan, and Wei Guo, the secretary, had several intense conflicts with him when he was county magistrate. Now, however, it's a case of "thirty years on the east bank, thirty years on the west bank", with both sides' situations reversed. Judging from the current situation, it seems that Wang Baogang being transferred is only a matter of time. If Wei Guo hadn't been worried about the impact, he would have already made a request to the municipal party committee. Now, making Wang Baogang lose face has become inevitable.

  Thinking of Hao Baishan, he couldn't help but let out a soft sigh. In the past, he and Wang Baogang were still quite close, and he was also considered a loyal cadre following Secretary Pingnan. At that time, Vice-Secretary Qu Xuan, who was in charge of the party's mass organization department, was completely marginalized under his and Secretary Pingnan's cooperation.

  This old organization that has worked in the Qinglong organizational system for over twenty years and has a huge influence, was forced by Secretary Pingnan to the point where it was about to retreat, but at this time, Secretary Pingnan suddenly had an accident.

  Although I was comforted by the secretary's words and immediately changed my attitude, every time I saw Qu's gloomy eyes, I couldn't help but feel a chill in my heart.

  I just hope this old thing will retire soon.

  Hao Baishan thought silently in his heart.