Reborn as a Noble’s Son
Chapter 1046 - Chapter 1046 Chapter 1002 Gong Zheng Pays a Visit

Chapter 1046: Chapter 1002 Gong Zheng Pays a Visit Chapter 1046: Chapter 1002 Gong Zheng Pays a Visit The situation was something none of the standing committee members had anticipated, neither Qin Guanghan nor Yao Dingguo had expected it. Wen Baogui and He Yusheng, the two former heavyweights of Hongjiang Province, who would squabble over positions to the point of exasperating Zhang Tianyue, were now making such a choice.

This… this is simply too unbelievable. Is Secretary Nie really that fearsome?

Although confused, the situation was already as it was, and no one dared to express anything further.

Next, Chen Le and Xu Hongzhuan from Nie Zhenbang’s camp, including Wei Lin, all expressed their opinions one after another. Although what they said was different, the meaning was the same–they all supported the view of the organization department.

Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang was quite satisfied. His camp had three confidants among the provincial committee standing members, plus the aligned Wei Lin– that made four votes. Adding his own, that was five votes, perfectly hitting the line.

He had strong control over the standing committee, but it wasn’t so complete as to alarm the central committee or invite censure. Now, with Wen Baogui and He Yusheng both acting in deference to him–though temporarily–it was sufficient for a lot of things to be done.

After a pause, Nie Zhenbang said with a smile, “Since this is the case, I suggest we proceed with a show of hands.”

As the top leader, whether a standing committee resolution is put to a vote is a significant power of the party secretary. It’s also one of the best ways to maintain one’s prestige.

Just like now, when the standing committee’s inclination was one-sided, Nie Zhenbang could control the direction of the meeting and move to a voting procedure. However, if there was an issue that couldn’t be resolved, then as the top leader, he could temporarily set aside the proposal. This was a tremendous advantage, unparalleled even by the heads of government.

The voting process that followed, naturally, was without any suspense. As Nie Zhenbang’s voice fell, Li Wei, Xu Hongzhuan, Chen Le, and Wei Lin all raised their hands high. Wen Baogui and He Yusheng also expressed their support–what else could they do at this moment but raise their hands, lest they slap their own faces? They were quickly followed by seven votes. Yao Dingguo, Qin Guanghan, and Zhou Chuanjia then raised their hands in agreement.

The secretary of the discipline inspection committee, Gong Zheng, the minister of the United Front Work Department, Li Yihong, and the military region commander, Chen Dongliang, also raised their hands in consent. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang nodded in satisfaction and lifted his right hand with a smile, saying, “Passed unanimously.”

Then, turning to Li Wei, Nie Zhenbang said, “Minister Wei Ran, as the head of the organization department, there’s no need to bother anyone else. Next, I think you should represent the department and talk with these comrades. Also, the organization department can start preparing the nomination announcement. After the publicity period, we’ll arrange for their appointment.”

The meeting ended there, and after Nie Zhenbang declared it adjourned, everyone rose to their feet.

Back in his office, just as he entered, Hong Feng whispered from behind, “Secretary Nie.”

Turning around, he saw the secretary of the discipline inspection committee, Gong Zheng, standing behind him. Caught off guard, Nie Zhenbang nonetheless greeted him warmly, “Comrade Gong Zheng has come. Please, come in.”

He was very enthusiastic, welcoming Gong Zheng into his office, and sat down with him on the sofa in the reception area. He took out a cigarette and offered it to Gong Zheng.

As Hong Feng poured tea, Nie Zhenbang reflected inwardly. Gong Zheng was a man of silence in Hongjiang, known in the province for speaking and doing little, as if the affairs of Hongjiang Province were unrelated to him, with all his focus on the work of discipline inspection.

Nie Zhenbang was pleased and appreciative of Gong Zheng’s approach. Over the years, Nie Zhenbang had held official positions in various places, and through his work in the Three Public Offices, he had visited many areas. It was often the poorer places that were more prone to corruption, as they received less attention from social opinion and the media. The less external oversight there was, the greater the impact of power and the easier it was for corruption to breed. Yet, in Hongjiang Province, from top to bottom, administration was relatively clean, which pleased Nie Zhenbang greatly. This, too, was inseparable from Gong Zheng’s work.

Normally, Gong Zheng wouldn’t visit lightly, but every time he did, it was sure to be about some matter. The recent whistleblower letter against Xu Hongzhuan had been delivered by Gong Zheng, hadn’t it?

After pondering for a moment and organizing his thoughts and words, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, “Comrade Gong Zheng, have a smoke.”

The fact Secretary Nie was personally lighting his cigarette made Gong Zheng feel a bit overwhelmed. Usually, his contact with Secretary Nie was minimal– mostly limited to work-related interactions and occasional nods during commutes.

Gong Zheng had a deep respect for Secretary Nie. As a seasoned member of the Discipline Inspection, Gong Zheng was no stranger to the name Nie Zhenbang. More than a decade ago, when he himself was the Deputy Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of Hongjiang Province, Nie Zhenbang was then an official at the Central Discipline Inspection Commission. Since then, with frequent interactions between the Office of Government Affairs and the Discipline Inspection Departments, Gong Zheng became very familiar with, and greatly admired Nie Zhenbang.

Times had changed; he himself had advanced only a half step, while Nie Zhenbang had leaped to become his leader.

As for that, Nie Zhenbang did not much care. After all, Nie Zhenbang’s capabilities, background, and potential were all stronger than his. Envy could not bring one these attributes, and yet, after Nie Zhenbang took office in Hongjiang, he set an example by commuting to and from work by bicycle, an action that Gong Zheng greatly admired.

Gong Zheng pondered for a moment, organizing his thoughts and words. After a pause, he then spoke, “Secretary Nie, the main reason for my visit this time is to report a matter to you.”

He paused briefly and continued, “Secretary Nie, after the case in Qingan County was closed, the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission has received many reports. In the real estate and affordable housing projects of Hongcheng City and JingShan City, numerous issues have arisen. On one hand, land is being transferred to real estate companies at extremely low prices for them to seek exorbitant profits. On the other hand, there have been many cases of false claims to affordable housing. Subsequently, these houses were sold at market prices, capitalizing on huge price differences.”

After speaking, Gong Zheng looked at Nie Zhenbang, “Secretary Nie, what do you think…?”

Although the Discipline Inspection Commission is an independently operating unit with very strong autonomy in terms of independence, the truth remains that the Commission is still subject to the governance of the Party Committee and under the leadership of the Provincial Committee, an unalterable fact.

Sometimes, the handling of cases by the Discipline Inspection requires guidance from the Provincial Committee. There are instances where case handling makes way for economic development, which is quite normal.

Nie Zhenbang was also in deep thought. He was not unfamiliar with this routine by the Discipline Inspection Department; on the contrary, he was very familiar with it. From what he could see now,

this matter, once dug up, was sure to become a major incident within Hongjiang Province. Currently, the country was strictly controlling housing prices. The Central Government and the State Council both emphasized and reiterated control over housing prices multiple times, showing the central authority’s determination on regulating housing prices.

Although housing prices in Hongjiang Province were not high compared to sister provinces, they were decidedly exorbitant relative to Hongjiang’s economic income level.

Regarding the control of the real estate market, he had not yet managed to allocate time to it, and such issues had already surfaced. It was foreseeable that regardless of who the reporters were, their intentions, or whom they were targeting, it was certain that this matter was not baseless or fabricated without any factual foundation.

After a moment of contemplation, Nie Zhenbang looked at Gong Zheng, “Secretary Gong, my view is that this matter can only be put aside for now.”

It was a statement that came with responsibilities for Nie Zhenbang. Any carelessness might give others the impression of favoritism.

Watching Gong Zheng, Nie Zhenbang wanted to see any change in Gong Zheng’s expression and demeanor, to see what his attitude truly was.

At this moment, without any hesitation, Gong Zheng nodded, “I also think it should be put aside for now.”

Gong Zheng’s words, instead, alleviated Nie Zhenbang. If Gong Zheng had agreed immediately, with no hesitation, Nie Zhenbang would have scrutinized the matter further. But now? Nie Zhenbang felt a sort of tacit understanding; it seemed Gong Zheng shared his views, seeing the essence of the matter and not wanting to be used as a pawn by others.

Immediately after, Nie Zhenbang nodded, “At present, the main focus of the Provincial Committee should still be on economic construction. Under the big premise of the Travel Expo, all other matters must temporarily give way to it. Of course, these issues are not unfounded, and regarding them, I suggest that the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission could initially undertake undercover investigations into the construction and allocation of affordable housing in Hongcheng City and JingShan City, gathering materials and evidence. Secretary Gong, let’s keep in touch and communicate about this matter. Call me anytime there’s an update.”

Nie Zhenbang was also very concerned. Under these circumstances, during the exhibition period of the Travel Expo, nothing untoward could occur within Hongjiang Province. It wasn’t merely a matter of image and face; it related to major investment issues that could not be overlooked.

Consider this: while you are participating in the Travel Expo, and no matter how good your pitch about the investment environment in Hongjiang is, if suddenly significant corruption problems emerge in Hongjiang, to be sure, Hongjiang would respond. But what would investors think? How would they feel? Wouldn’t this be a slap in one’s own face?

At this moment, Gong Zheng also nodded in agreement. He clearly understood Nie Zhenbang’s intentions. He then nodded in affirmation, “I will definitely follow Secretary Nie’s instructions.”

(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (NovelFire.net) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my biggest motivation.)