: Failed to Shift Blame, Faints on the Spot

Originally, the province had selected two candidates.

Governor Ren Damin strongly recommended Xiong Guangzhao, the Secretary-General of the Provincial Government, and even went to Beicheng to lobby for him.

This time, the position was a deputy provincial-level post in charge of government affairs. The governor's recommendation carried great weight, and his attitude and influence once made Wang Yuanze's promotion path "precarious".

At the crucial moment, the Song family spoke up, which finally finalized his promotion.

Wang Yuanze is just over forty years old, in the prime of his life with a bright future, but if he wants to continue to move up the ranks, he still needs the support of connections at higher levels.

To be precise, the Song family behind Lin Xiao is undoubtedly the most stable and core support for his future career.

Therefore, after Lin Xiao's wedding, Wang Yuanze valued his relationship with Lin Xiao even more.

Of course, his support for Lin Xiao was unquestionable before this.

"If you encounter any problems at work that you can't solve, feel free to call me anytime."

Wang Yuanze spoke with certainty and solemnity, making his promise.

Lin Xiao felt relieved, but did not ask further who would succeed him as the municipal party secretary.

Currently, Wang Yuanze's promotion is still within the public announcement period, and the new municipal party secretary will definitely be announced only after the official appointment document is issued.

At the same time, the relevant personnel preparation, interviews, and assessments must proceed in accordance with the established procedures.

However, whether it's an outsider being parachuted in or a local promotion, it's not something that the city or district level can control.

In Lin Xiao's view, instead of being distracted by personnel changes, it is better to focus on stabilizing the work of the entire district and firmly grasp her own voice.

After ending his call with his uncle Wang Yuanze, he informed Ji Xiuwu to Nie Haibin, director of the Development and Reform Bureau, and Tang Yumei, director of the Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau, to give a special report on the shantytown renovation work at the district committee.

Upon receiving the notification, Tang Yumei immediately called District Head Yang Songfeng to inform him of the situation.

On the phone, Yang Songfeng calmly reassured him, "Don't be nervous. Just report your work normally. Only talk about the process and don't go into details. As long as you don't expose any problems, he can't do anything to you without concrete evidence."

He paused, then added in a low voice, "I'll be waiting for you at the usual place later. Remember, don't panic, I'll take care of everything."

"Hmm." Tang Yumei's voice was still tense. "It's just that he's never shown any mercy in his actions, I..."

"Things are different now. As long as you don't make any mistakes, he can't do anything to you."

After hanging up the phone, Tang Yumei delayed for a few more minutes before rushing to the district committee compound.

When I arrived at the office, Nie Haibin was already there.

In addition, Xie Guangyan, director of the district party committee office, was also present.

Compared to Tang Yumei, who arrived a few minutes late, Nie Haibin rushed over immediately after receiving Ji Xiuwu's notification.

In just a few minutes, he had already given Lin Xiao a preliminary explanation of the situation: the shantytown renovation plan implemented in the district did not fully adopt the original design plan of the Development and Reform Bureau. The implemented plan privately added several exclusive preferential clauses for real estate companies, bypassing the formal discussion process throughout.

After Tang Yumei sat down, Lin Xiao, with a serious expression, asked in a deep voice, "Comrade Yumei, the district has recently been vigorously promoting the renovation project of the old city shantytowns, but many problems have been reflected through various channels. The reason I invited you here today is to understand the specific operation of this project. Please give a detailed report."

Lin Xiao paused, then glanced at Tang Yumei. "Next, the district committee will conduct research and verification on the relevant work. We hope you will tell the truth and not conceal anything or give a perfunctory answer. In addition, this conversation will be recorded in its entirety by the district committee office, and the materials will be archived for future reference."

Xie Guangyan sat upright to the side, taking notes with a pen, maintaining a serious demeanor throughout, befitting a member of the district party committee standing committee in performing his duties.

Seeing this, Tang Yumei's heart began to pound.

Normally, no member of the district party committee standing committee would personally archive and record the entire work report, but today Xie Guangyan, director of the district party committee office, was personally in charge.

She immediately realized that the content of today's conversation would most likely serve as the direct basis for subsequent investigations and accountability.

"Secretary Lin, I will definitely report the truth."

Forcibly suppressing her inner panic, Tang Yumei braced herself and began to report.

Lin Xiao pretended to listen attentively, but Tang Yumei always spoke vaguely or even avoided the important points at crucial moments.

In particular, regarding the two core violations involving preferential policies for real estate companies and the selection criteria for developers, she simply glossed over them with a single sentence: "The district government has studied and decided on this matter."

Lin Xiao listened in silence the whole time, without interrupting or asking any questions, but the chill in his eyes grew stronger.

The atmosphere in the office grew increasingly tense.

As Tang Yumei spoke, she felt an invisible pressure growing stronger. Her back and the two layers of clothing inside and out were already soaked with cold sweat, and her forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat.

"Distinguished leaders, this is the overall progress of the project. This work concerns the well-being of tens of thousands of residents in the old city. During the process, some people understand and support our work, while others may not understand, or their own interests may not be met, and they may spread rumors."

However, I firmly believe that the shantytown renovation project is a livelihood project that benefits tens of thousands of people, and the overall benefits outweigh the drawbacks. A few procedural details are all for the sake of the project's rapid implementation. I suggest that the priority should be on advancing the work, and there's no need to overanalyze the minutiae…”

"No need for platitudes or empty talk."

Lin Xiao interrupted him directly, his tone cold and decisive: "We are all very clear about the significance of this project, and we have already visited the old city shantytown and witnessed firsthand the housing difficulties of the local people."

I only have two core questions: First, were the developers selected for this urban renewal project through open bidding, and was the selection process transparent? Second, what was the specific procedure for selecting all the shortlisted developers?

Tang Yumei's face turned pale instantly. After thinking for a moment, she argued, "The selection process is entirely handled by the District Bidding and Tendering Center. The Housing and Construction Bureau is only responsible for implementation and has no right to interfere. It can only provide suggestions."

"So, you don't really know where these company lists came from?" Lin Xiao continued to press.

Tang Yumei hesitated for a moment, then nodded with a forced smile: "Yes, District Chief Yang has requested that the responsibilities and powers of each department be separated to eliminate risks, and the bidding and tendering center will be fully responsible for the specific selection."

Lin Xiao didn't say anything more, and immediately asked Ji Xiuwu to notify the director of the district bidding center to come to the district committee immediately.

Tang Yumei shuddered, her heart pounding with even more panic.

She had intended to deflect blame, give a perfunctory answer, and then secretly coordinate her story with Yang Songfeng. But Lin Xiao gave her no time to coordinate her statements or make amends.

A moment later, Zhang Houxin, director of the district bidding and tendering center, walked into the office, covered in sweat and looking flustered.

As soon as he entered the office, he sensed the tense atmosphere and his heart tightened.

It turned out that while waiting, Lin Xiao notified the Discipline Inspection Commission to come to the scene for a special supervision and verification.

When Zhang Houxin saw Fan Shixin, his legs went weak.

He was well aware of the rules of officialdom: when the Discipline Inspection Commission came to his door, it was not just for simple questioning, but most likely for preliminary investigation before filing a case.

If it weren't for the support of the seat, he would have been unable to keep his balance, and his heart was filled with fear.

Lin Xiao's gaze sharpened, and he asked in a deep voice, "Comrade Houxin, the district committee is currently investigating some issues in the shantytown renovation project. Comrade Yumei just mentioned that the selection process for real estate developers is being handled entirely by the bidding and tendering center, and you are in charge of overseeing its progress. Is that correct?"

Zhang Houxin was taken aback, glanced coldly at Tang Yumei, and immediately protested, "Secretary Lin, I don't know why Director Tang would say that, but I really haven't even seen the company's specific list yet. So how can I be in charge? Besides, how could I possibly have the ability to interfere with matters finalized by the Housing and Construction Bureau and the District Government?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire room fell into dead silence.

Tang Yumei's face turned ashen, and her mind went completely blank.

Lin Xiao looked at her with a serious expression: "Comrade Yumei, tell me what happened? You didn't use the Development and Reform Bureau's plan, the developer selection process wasn't made public, and when problems arose, you pushed the responsibility onto the bidding center. Is this how you implement such a large-scale project that benefits the people?"

District Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary Fan Shixin's face was grim as he said in a deep voice, "It seems there's a serious problem..."

"Thump—"

A muffled thud.

Tang Yumei's psychological defenses completely collapsed. Her vision went black, and she collapsed to the ground, fainting.