Chen Fang smiled and said, "Meng Zheqing thinks the same."

Half past nine in the morning.

The meeting room of the Standing Committee in the Municipal Party Committee Building.

When Chen Fang entered, aside from Political and Legal Committee Secretary Xu Jianfeng and Mayor Xue Bo who had yet to arrive, the other Standing Committee members were all already present.

Initially, everyone was engaged in hushed discussions.

As soon as Chen Fang walked in, the room fell instantly silent.

Each person's expression was different.

Indifferent to the matter at hand, people from Xu Jianfeng's faction nodded slightly at Chen Fang as a gesture.

People from Xue Bo's faction didn't show much of a reaction.

Those from Meng Zheqing's faction, however, glared at Chen Fang, displaying a rather unfriendly demeanor.

Deputy Mayor Lai Chengzong was lying on the table asleep.

Vice Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee Ling Li was busy looking at documents.

As for the Secretary of the Disciplinary Committee Ren Yiweng, he bore an indifferent expression, seemingly unconcerned with Chen Fang's arrival.

"Yo, isn't that Minister Chen? I've heard that Minister Chen has been quite busy these last few days, really setting fires as a new official, leaving many of us in Guyang City at a loss," someone said with an indistinct tone.

It was Lv Zixi, the Director of the Municipal Party Committee Office.

Right as Lv Zixi's words fell,

Political and Legal Committee Secretary Cui Weiguo said, "That's right, Minister Chen is young and vigorous, always needing to make a spectacle; otherwise, what's the point of being a city leader?"

Chen Fang smiled and stood at his place.

Looking in Lv Zixi's direction, he asked, "Director Lv, just got back from visiting a grave?"

Lv Zixi's face darkened as he asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"The way you speak is so eerie, I thought you might have just come back from a grave visit."

As soon as Chen Fang finished speaking,

Militia Department Head Zou Leng burst out laughing.

Lv Zixi, feeling humiliated, flushed with anger and barked, "Chen Fang, watch your language. Even if we're at the same level, I'm still your elder. You should show the respect that's due."

"An elder? Then shouldn't I be respecting the old and caring for the young? Would you like to sit in my chair?"

Chen Fang pointed to his own seat.

In the bureaucratic system, seating order is taken very seriously.

Each member of the Standing Committee also has a ranking within the system.

Chen Fang, as the Organization Department Head, is ranked sixth, right after Secretary of the Disciplinary Committee Ren Yiweng.

And the Director of the Municipal Party Committee Office, Lv Zixi, is ranked twelfth.

Sitting at the very corner of the meeting table.

Faced with this question, Lv Zixi was suddenly at a loss for words.

Everyone present could understand Chen Fang's subtext; he was telling Lv Zixi that according to rank, Chen Fang was higher, and therefore Lv Zixi should also show him some respect.

Just as Lv Zixi was mustering vocabulary, preparing to retort, Xu Jianfeng and Xue Bo walked in one after another.

"Let's start the meeting."

Xu Jianfeng casually tossed a folder onto the table.

This action also made everyone realize that today's meeting would probably not have a very harmonious atmosphere.

Xu Jianfeng's gaze swept around the room.

After clearing his throat, he said, "Routine Standing Committee meeting, two items on the agenda. First item, concerning the affairs of Ding Jianmu, the village chief of Heshou Village in Yongping Town. Comrade Xue Bo, please go ahead."

Xue Bo nodded.

"Next, I will report on the situation of Comrade Ding Jianmu," he said.

He picked up a document.

He read the criminal allegations involving Ding Jianmu verbatim.

There were not many surprises below.

It appeared that over the weekend, those who should have received the news had already done so.

"Comrades, aren't you surprised? Don't you find it horrifying? A mere village chief managed to oppress the common people to such an extent; it's utterly unimaginable. Prior to this, didn't the supervisory departments notice anything at all? Are all of you just freeloading?"

Xu Jianfeng became more and more agitated as he spoke.

Especially the Secretary of the Disciplinary Committee, Ren Yiweng, whose face alternated between shades of green and white.

It was clear that he was holding back a bellyful of anger.

Conversely,

Meng Zheqing's face was filled with triumph.

The angrier Xu Jianfeng became, the better it was for him.

When it was his turn to speak,

Meng Zheqing hurriedly said, "Secretary Xu, I believe that this matter has nothing to do with supervision. It's the personal behavior of Comrade Shen Shanghu."

After saying this, he glanced at Ren Yiweng.

Ren Yiweng also cast a grateful look back at him.

Under such circumstances, the person who was the least convenient to defend themselves was Ren Yiweng. Receiving help in a crisis was something anyone should be grateful for.

Having received a response from Ren Yiweng,

Meng Zheqing felt even more pleased with himself.

Everything was unfolding according to his own predictions.

He said, "The matter involving Comrade Ding Jianmu is indeed something that should make us all reflect. However, there is a significant problem in this. Since Comrade Chen Fang had already obtained the criminal evidence against Comrade Ding Jianmu, why didn't he report it to Secretary Xu? Even Secretary Ren was kept in the dark. Whether there are some unspeakable intentions behind this, I really wouldn't know."

What a tactic.

In one sentence, he directly instigated conflict between Chen Fang, Xu Jianfeng, and Ren Yiweng.

Adding to this, Chen Fang had called on Xue Bo to take action.

It was hard not to suspect that Chen Fang had already sided with Xue Bo.

Chen Fang looked towards the direction of Meng Zheqing, who was also looking back at him. His gaze was wildly provocative, as if he was telling Chen Fang that even though he had given up the position of the district chief of the Economic Development Zone to him, he wouldn't make things easy for him.

"That's right, Minister Chen, I think you should give the Standing Committee an explanation, especially to Secretary Ren,"

If one couldn't seize the opportunity to kick someone when they were down, they truly didn't deserve to be a leader.

Lv Zixi, who was already simmering with anger, immediately stood up and questioned Chen Fang.

His intention was simple: to provoke hostility between Chen Fang and Ren Yiweng.

Cui Weiguo wasn't far behind.

He said, "Yes, Minister Chen, you really should give a good explanation. Otherwise, if the Organization Department is doing the work of the Disciplinary Committee, the public, unaware of the inside story, might really think that Secretary Ren is not as competent as you, Minister Chen."

Another round of fueling the flames.

Everyone's gaze was now on Chen Fang, as if they were all waiting for his explanation.

Looking at the confident Meng Zheqing,

Chen Fang slowly stood up.

He asked, "Do I have to speak?"

"Of course, you should give the Standing Committee an explanation, and an explanation to Secretary Ren, right? Otherwise, if the higher-ups investigate, you, Chen Fang, will have made a merit, but what about Secretary Ren? He might even end up with a penalty,"

With these words, Meng Zheqing brought his plan of deflecting the disaster to a climax.

Before the meeting began,

The three people from Meng Zheqing's faction had already conspired together.

The only purpose of today's Standing Committee meeting was to amplify the conflict, to instigate disharmony between Chen Fang and Ren Yiweng. In doing so, it not only served to attack Chen Fang but also to bring Ren Yiweng under their control—a double victory.

This plan was concocted by Meng Zheqing.

At this moment, he was naturally overflowing with smugness.

Chen Fang was driven into a corner.

He had no choice but to respond.

After a pause, he said, "Alright, since I must speak, then I will. Actually, everyone is unaware that I never had any criminal evidence against Ding Jianmu. All that evidence was given to me by Secretary Ren Yiweng. He said that since the case involved personnel from within the Disciplinary Committee, and Comrade Shen Shanghu was someone he had promoted himself, if he were to handle it, it would look like he was protecting his own, which is why he had me act according to his arrangements when he went to the city for a meeting that day."

As soon as he finished speaking,

The entire room was shocked.

Xu Jianfeng was stunned, Xue Bo was stunned, and Meng Zheqing was stunned as well.

The most surprised was Ren Yiweng.

With a look of rage, he became rigid in an instant, his mouth agape and unable to close.

Even Lai Chengzong, who had been dozing off, raised his head...

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