Chapter 244 Ironclad Evidence Leads to Dismissal from Public Office, New Director Takes Office
Nine o'clock in the morning.
The joint investigation report from the Handong Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection has been placed on the desks of the heads of major government agencies and departments throughout the province.
Zhao Donglai was expelled from the Party and dismissed from public office on the spot for multiple serious crimes, including illegally stealing secrets, embezzling huge sums of public funds, and attempting rape. He was then transferred to the judicial authorities for criminal proceedings.
Inside the interrogation room of the Jingzhou No. 1 Detention Center, the light from the incandescent bulbs was blinding.
Director Zhao, who once held sway over Jingzhou, is now wearing a large yellow prison uniform and handcuffed to a cold iron interrogation chair.
His rugged face was bloodless, his stubble was messy, and his former arrogance was completely gone.
Several hours of intensive interrogation, coupled with irrefutable evidence, completely shattered his psychological defenses.
The disciplinary official in charge of the trial slammed a stack of confessions on the table.
"Zhao Donglai, you've signed the document and pressed your fingerprint. Is there anything else you want to add?"
Zhao Donglai lowered his head, looking at the red marks on his wrists from the handcuffs, unable to utter a single word of defense.
He lost, utterly and completely.
The office of the secretary of the Jingzhou Municipal Party Committee compound.
Li Dakang threw the official document stamped with the red seal onto his desk and leaned heavily back in his chair.
He exhaled a long breath and took a big gulp of the now-cold bitter tea.
The bitter tea flowed down his throat, clearing his muddled mind somewhat.
A copy of the financial statements that was delivered last night was still on the table.
Li Dakang reached out and flipped through two pages, gritting his teeth in anger.
Zhao Donglai used all 35 million yuan of the stability maintenance fund to support the unemployed people in the boxing gym.
He originally regarded Zhao Donglai as his most capable assistant, hoping that the other party could achieve more in public security and stability maintenance, and safeguard the GDP of Jingzhou.
Who would have thought that this bastard had done so many heinous things behind the scenes?
Li Dakang stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and looked at the city gradually waking up outside.
If Shen Zhong hadn't intervened swiftly and removed this cancerous tumor before Zhao Donglai could have continued his reckless behavior.
Once the truth comes out, I, as the municipal party secretary, will definitely be implicated.
Li Dakang paced back and forth with his hands behind his back.
If I don't keep up with Shen Zhong's pace, I'll get dragged into this idiot's mess sooner or later.
Sha Ruijin can't even protect his own people now; the situation in Handong has truly changed.
At 10:00 AM, in the meeting room of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee.
The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder.
A fierce competition has erupted among various parties to fill the vacancy of the powerful position of Director of the Jingzhou Public Security Bureau.
Sha Ruijin sat upright in the main seat, holding a personnel file in his hand.
"Comrades, the security situation in Jingzhou cannot be left unattended for even a day. Zhao Donglai's case has had an extremely negative impact, and we must select capable personnel as soon as possible to stabilize the situation."
Sha Ruijin pushed the file to the middle of the table.
"I propose that Deputy Director Liu of the Provincial Department concurrently serve as the Director of the Jingzhou Municipal Bureau. Comrade Liu is experienced and qualified, and can get things started quickly."
Sha Ruijin looked at the few Standing Committee members who were usually quite obedient, trying to find support.
But those people all looked down at their documents or picked up their teacups to drink water, completely ignoring his response.
Tian Guofu opened the notebook in front of him and cleared his throat.
"Let me add a couple of points."
"The Discipline Inspection Commission has confirmed that Deputy Director Liu has some issues with his lifestyle and is currently under internal investigation."
"It's clearly inappropriate to send him to take over the Jingzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau."
Sha Ruijin's face turned ashen.
He didn't expect Tian Guofu to kick him while he was down at this time, directly blocking his proposal.
Gao Yuliang picked up his thermos, took a sip of water, and then slammed the thermos heavily onto the table.
"Secretary Ruijin, Deputy Director Liu is nearing retirement age. With things in such disarray in Jingzhou, can his health hold up?"
Gao Yuliang leaned forward, crossed his hands on the table, and looked around the conference table.
"I recommend Comrade Qi Tongwei."
"Although Tong Wei had made some mistakes in the Guangming Branch, he demonstrated strong professional competence and political awareness in this major case involving Zhou Guichun and Zhao Donglai."
Sha Ruijin's facial muscles were tense.
He never expected Gao Yuliang to recommend this former outcast in public.
"Comrade Yuliang, Qi Tongwei has been disciplined before. It's hard to convince the public that he's being promoted to such an important position."
Shen Zhong sat at the end of the long table and pushed several high-resolution photos to the middle of the table.
In the photo, Qi Tongwei's left arm is wrapped in thick bandages, with blood seeping through the gauze, but he is still standing on the front line of the arrest of Zhao Donglai.
"These are photos from the scene of last night's operation."
Shen Zhong leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.
"Comrade Qi Tongwei disarmed a thug with his bare hands in order to protect the staff of the procuratorate, and almost lost an arm in the process."
"What we need are these brave and fearless generals who are willing to risk their lives to take over the security of Jingzhou."
"And didn't Secretary Sha also quickly promote Yi Xuexi before?"
Li Dakang immediately responded, giving Sha Ruijin no chance to catch his breath.
"I agree with Political Commissar Shen and Secretary Yu Liang's opinions."
"Jingzhou needs a strong medicine, and the courage and determination that Comrade Qi Tongwei possesses is exactly what the Municipal Bureau lacks right now."
Li Dakang turned to look at Sha Ruijin.
"Secretary Ruijin, extraordinary times call for extraordinary people. On behalf of the Jingzhou Municipal Party Committee, I firmly support Comrade Qi Tongwei's appointment."
Sha Ruijin sat there, isolated and helpless.
His once-proud control over the Standing Committee completely collapsed at this moment.
Qi Tongwei's appointment was approved unanimously without any effective obstruction.
In the afternoon, at the Handong Provincial Military Region Hospital.
The dressing room was filled with the pungent smell of disinfectant.
Lu Yike, wearing a white coat, was carefully unwrapping the gauze from Qi Tongwei's left arm.
The deep, bone-revealing knife wound had been stitched up, and dark red centipede-like scars lay on the firm muscles, a shocking sight.
Lu Yike held the cotton swab, her movements as gentle as could be.
The image of Qi Tongwei stepping forward to shield her from that knife in the boxing gym last night is still haunting her mind.
"If it hurts, just yell it out. Don't try to tough it out."
Qi Tongwei leaned back in his chair, looking at Lu Yike's face, which was so close to his.
"This little flesh wound is nothing. If Director Lu came to see me more often, my injury would heal even faster."
Lu Yike paused for a moment, a slight blush rising on her cheeks.
She didn't argue, but silently sped up the application of the medicine.
The door to the dressing room was pushed open.
Shen Zhong, dressed in a crisp pine-green military uniform, strode in.
He slapped an appointment letter bearing the bright red seal of the provincial party committee directly onto the medical cart next to Qi Tongwei.
"Director Qi, go back to your post as soon as you recover from your injuries."
"I need you to forge an ironclad defense for the security of Handong."
Qi Tongwei's eyes reddened as he looked at the appointment letter that read "Director of Jingzhou Public Security Bureau".
He climbed out of the mire and finally touched the core of power again.
Qi Tongwei straightened his back, raised his uninjured right hand, and gave a perfectly standard military salute.
"Mission accomplished!"
Shen Zhong patted him on the shoulder.
"The first thing I'll do after taking office is to clean up the mess Zhao Donglai left in the municipal bureau."
"Anyone who dares to obstruct us will be arrested."
Qi Tongwei lowered his right hand and looked at Shen Zhong.
"Don't worry, sir. I know those people in the Municipal Bureau all too well."
"Within three days, I will remove all of Zhao Donglai's confidants and replace them with our own people."
"There will be absolutely no more problems with the security in Jingzhou."
It was evening, in the office of the political commissar of the Handong Military Region.
Shen Zhong stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, watching the sky outside gradually darken.
With Qi Tongwei's rise to power, he has completely grasped the power dynamics of the military, government, and police in Handong.
Sha Ruijin was driven into a truly desperate situation.
Shen Zhong turned around, walked to his desk, and picked up the red secure telephone that connected directly to the capital.
He skillfully dialed a complex number.
The call connected, and Shen Zhong stood up straight.
"Old boss, I have evidence of the Zhong family's crimes."