"Secretary Zhao hasn't answered me yet, is my guess correct?"

Chen Fang asked in return.

Zhao Yiping had a stern expression.

After a pause, he said, "Let's just say you got part of it right."

"Good, since Secretary Zhao doesn't want Meng Zheqing to be the head of the Economic Development Zone, and he has now managed to extricate himself, there is actually an indirect method that could satisfy your wish!"

"What method?"

Zhao Yiping was startled and asked.

Chen Fang pointed at himself with his finger and said, "Me! I am the newly-appointed Director of Organization in Guyang City. The Economic Development Zone is under the jurisdiction of Guyang City's personnel, which means, other leadership appointments in the Zone must go through me. If the other leaders arranged in the Zone could meet Secretary Zhao's expectations, then the power of the Zone wouldn't fall into others' hands."

"Heh heh, Comrade Chen Fang, don't forget that you are an official transferred from Yong'an Province. Unfamiliar with the place, the appointment of officials in the Economic Development Zone is not something a Director of Organization can decide on their own. Do you really think that being the head of the Organization Department, you can monopolize the appointment of all officials?"

"Indeed, I am not familiar with this place. However, if everyone thinks I am your man, Secretary Zhao, wouldn't things get done more efficiently?"

Such a blatant way to leverage influence.

Zhao Yiping was encountering this for the first time.

Some things can only be hinted at in private.

Yet Chen Fang had spoken it out loud and straightforward, which, to some extent, surprised Zhao Yiping.

He stood up.

Pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back, he thought deeply for a long time.

He asked, "What do I need to do?"

As soon as these words were spoken, it was equivalent to agreeing to Chen Fang's proposal.

Chen Fang smiled slightly and said, "It's simple. All Secretary Zhao has to do is to personally see me into office..."

It was a little past eleven in the morning.

The municipal committee's third car slowly pulled out from the courtyard of the committee building.

Not long after the car had left,

the door to the office of the Executive Deputy Director of the Organization Department, Liu Mingkai, was knocked on.

At that time, Liu Mingkai was flirting with a female subordinate. Annoyed by the sudden interruption, he was in quite a foul mood.

After adjusting his clothes, he called out, "Come in."

The door was pushed open, and his driver walked in with a panicked expression.

"You go out first,"

Liu Mingkai patted the woman's buttocks lightly, and the female subordinate sensibly left the room.

"What's going on? Why are you in such a panic?"

Liu Mingkai asked with displeasure on his face.

The driver swallowed and said, "Leader, Chen Fang has gone to take up his post in Guyang City."

"So what if he's gone? Without the appointment letter from me, his going there is futile," Liu Mingkai said nonchalantly.

The driver hastily said, "It's not just him; it's... Secretary Zhao who personally escorted him there."

The expression on Liu Mingkai's face froze, as if he hadn't heard clearly, and he asked, "What did you say? Zhao Yiping personally escorted him?"

The driver nodded.

He said, "That's right, I saw it with my own eyes."

Liu Mingkai's mind buzzed.

He stood up abruptly and said, "Prepare the car. To Guyang City…"

He had to be anxious.

Indeed, the appointment letter for Chen Fang was in his own hands, but if the Vice Secretary of the Municipal Committee personally accompanied him to take up his post, the letter was irrelevant. After all, Chen Fang's appointment had been recorded.

If he remained standoffish now and faced Zhao Yiping's trouble later, he wouldn't be able to bear the consequences.

Even though it made him itch with hatred,

there was simply nothing he could do.

On the way there, he kept pondering. He had checked the files; Chen Fang had no connections with the official circles of Wulan City. How had he suddenly become involved with Zhao Yiping, that king of hell?

Around one-thirty in the afternoon,

at 123 Youth Road in Guyang City, within the courtyard of the Municipal Committee,

the leaders of the four sets of teams—municipal committee, city government, people's congress, and political consultative conference—were already waiting at the entrance of the building.

Under everyone's gaze,

the city committee's third car slowly drove into the courtyard and came to a stop in front of everyone.

Guyang City's Mayor Xue Bo personally stepped forward to open the car door.

He exclaimed enthusiastically, "Secretary Zhao, good to see you."

Zhao Yiping nodded and shook hands with Xue Bo, glanced around, and asked, "Where is Comrade Jianfeng?"

The "Comrade Jianfeng" he asked about was Meng Zheqing, the Secretary of the Guyang City Committee.

Xue Bo gave an affirmative sound and said, "Secretary Xu has gone down to the countryside for research and will not be back until tomorrow."

"Alright, let me introduce everyone to our new Minister of the Organization Department of Guyang City, Comrade Chen Fang."

Zhao Yiping deliberately pulled Chen Fang to his side and introduced him to everyone.

"Comrade Chen Fang, welcome to Guyang City. With the Organization Department in your hands, I am at ease," greeted Xue Bo, as he actively shook hands with Chen Fang.

Following this,

under the guidance of Xue Bo,

Chen Fang greeted and shook hands with the leaders of the four sets of teams one by one.

The welcoming ceremony concluded, and just as everyone was about to enter the conference room,

Liu Mingkai also arrived.

He hurriedly got out of the car and ran up to Zhao Yiping, panting as he said, "Secretary Zhao... Secretary Zhao, I'm really sorry; a last-minute meeting was called, please forgive me for troubling you to bring Comrade Chen Fang over."

"No trouble at all, Minister Liu is busy with official duties, whereas I, on the other hand, am more at leisure. Next time something like this happens, just give me a call," Zhao Yiping said.

This statement was full of irony.

Keep in mind, Zhao Yiping was the third in command of Wulan City.

And Liu Mingkai was just the Acting Minister of the Organization Department.

Saying he was more at leisure than Liu Mingkai was quite a clear admonishment.

It also sent another message, meant to tell everyone present that Chen Fang was Zhao Yiping's man.

Having said that,

Liu Mingkai didn't dare to respond.

Surrounded by a group of people,

they all entered the conference room.

Normally, Chen Fang's appointment letter should have been read by the Organization Department.

Yet, Zhao Yiping took this task upon himself.

The appointment ceremony ended,

and Xue Bo approached proactively, saying, "Secretary Zhao, you haven't had lunch yet, have you? The cafeteria has prepared some light meals..."

Before he could finish,

Zhao Yiping gestured with his hand and said, "No, thank you. I'm in a hurry to get back; I have a meeting this afternoon."

Having clearly refused,

Zhao Yiping then said to Chen Fang, "Comrade Chen Fang, please step outside with me."

"Sure, Secretary Zhao."

Following Zhao Yiping out the door to his official car, and seeing the leaders of Guyang City waiting at the door, Zhao Yiping deliberately placed his hand on Chen Fang's shoulder and said solemnly, "I've made my stand for you as promised, but whether you can make your way up in Guyang City depends on your own ability now. If you run into trouble, don't come to me for help; I won't intervene."

If the earlier remarks represented the fulfillment of a promise to Chen Fang,

then these words served as a warning to Chen Fang.

After all, Zhao Yiping did not know Chen Fang well enough and feared that Chen Fang might act recklessly in Guyang City under his influence, which would ultimately tarnish his own reputation.

He decided to be blunt,

so Chen Fang would know to restrain himself.

After dropping these words,

Zhao Yiping turned and got into the car.

He left amidst the waving of the crowd.

At this moment, Chen Fang didn't realize that although his appointment had gone smoothly thanks to Zhao Yiping,

this decision had also sown the seeds for a significant hidden danger for him.

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