Nominal: The pinnacle of power began in the sixth province of Handong.

Chapter 165 Hou Liangping Demoted

Two days later, the interim Standing Committee meeting, chaired by Governor Liu, was convened again.

The main topic was to report on the problems of Hou Liangping, deputy director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Handong Provincial Procuratorate.

Logically, cadres at this level should not be promoted to the Standing Committee level.

Because Hou Liangping was a provincial-level cadre and had close ties with the Zhong family in Beijing.

To be on the safe side, the notification was made in the form of a Standing Committee meeting, which was a way of giving this son-in-law of the Zhong family face.

Sha Ruijin has been suspended from his post, and Tian Guofu is in Luzhou City.

Both were absent for this reason.

But this doesn't have any impact.

Xia Qingxian reported Hou Liangping's actions.

Without obtaining authorization, the Anti-Corruption Bureau illegally arrested more than 20 senior and middle-level executives and 15 department-level cadres from various enterprises, and attempted to arrest a provincial-level cadre.

Such a large-scale operation shocked all the members of the Standing Committee.

Such behavior is truly unprecedented in Handong.

Only Hou Liangping dared to set this precedent.

Xia Qing then reported the results of the investigation:

"Since Hou Liangping is a division-level cadre, his handling opinion does not need to be reported to the Standing Committee. However, in accordance with the principle of being responsible to the province, we report to the Standing Committee members: Hou Liangping made another mistake during the period of his major demerit punishment and has been demoted to deputy division-level. At the same time, his performance fully proves that he is not suitable for the public security, procuratorial and judicial front. He will be transferred to the Provincial Federation of Literary and Art Circles to fully improve himself and correct his problems in a service-oriented department, so as to observe his future performance."

Xia Qing's words caused an uproar in the audience.

The deputy director of the anti-corruption bureau of the procuratorate was transferred to the Federation of Literary and Art Circles as a deputy division-level official.

The difference is like night and day.

Xia Qing's punishment was far too harsh.

For the sake of the Zhong family, we should hold back.

This would leave absolutely no room for embarrassment.

Everyone present had their own plans in mind.

Li Dakang, in particular, carefully analyzed the current situation. Sha Ruijin could return to his post at any time, and Hou Liangping was not only Sha Ruijin's handpicked anti-corruption general, but also the son-in-law of the Zhong family.

At this point, speaking up to offer your support would be beneficial and harmless.

Thinking of this, Li Dakang frowned and objected:

"Minister Xia, isn't this a bit too harsh? Although Comrade Hou Liangping made a mistake first, demoting him and transferring him to another unit at the same time is still too severe. To put it bluntly, everyone knows what kind of unit the Federation of Literary and Art Circles is, and what kind of unit the Procuratorate is. To be transferred from a junior leader in such a powerful department as the Procuratorate to working for a section chief in such a marginal department as the Federation of Literary and Art Circles is, to put it bluntly, an exile! I'm afraid few people can bear this kind of drop in status."

Seeing several people nod silently as he spoke, Li Dakang felt more confident. He paused deliberately and continued:

"Therefore, I think that demotion is acceptable, but Hou Liangping should retain his status as a public security, procuratorial, and judicial cadre. If the procuratorial system is not suitable, it would be more reasonable to send him to the Department of Justice for a period of time and then observe his performance."

Secretary-General Wang of the Provincial Party Committee Office quickly spoke up:

"Secretary Dakang is right. Although Hou Liangping's actions were inappropriate, his intention was still for the sake of the work and for Secretary Sha's comprehensive anti-corruption campaign. Adhering to the principle of maintaining the enthusiasm of cadres and that education is more important than punishment, it is reasonable to appoint him as a deputy director-level official in the Department of Justice."

Xia Qing replied immediately after the two finished speaking:

"I disagree with your views. The procuratorial front is sensitive and of great importance, as are the public security, procuratorial, and judicial systems. Hou Liangping committed such disorganized and undisciplined acts in the procuratorate; will he change after going to the Department of Justice? I tell you, he will only become more ruthless! Such cadres must never stay in the public security, procuratorial, and judicial system. Our province must convey the correct personnel selection guidelines and must not allow problematic cadres to harbor any illusions!"

Gao Yuliang also spoke up at this moment:

"As the secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, I do feel that Hou Liangping is not suitable for the public security, procuratorial and judicial system."

Nothing is more powerful than the Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission personally stating that a person is not suitable to work in the public security, procuratorial, and judicial system.

As expected, Li Dakang and Secretary-General Wang were both deflated when they saw Gao Yuliang's statement.

Li Dakang didn't care. All he wanted was to ask for a favor. Whether he succeeded or not, it wouldn't matter. As long as the Zhong family and Sha Ruijin knew about it, that was enough.

If we can't save it now, then let it go; after all, it was a zero-cost investment.

But Gao Yuliang wouldn't let Li Dakang off so easily. From the moment Li Dakang opened his mouth, Gao Yuliang guessed that Li Dakang was making a political investment that was "unintentional".

Although the effect will not be very obvious, Gao Yuliang will never give Li Dakang the slightest chance to lay the groundwork.

Therefore, Gao Yuliang looked at Li Dakang, pointed at him, and laughed:

"Also, Secretary Dakang, I remember at last year's Standing Committee meeting, when Hou Liangping arrested your wife, you didn't have this attitude. You said then that she should be severely punished, but in the end, Secretary Sha and Minister Xia felt that she should be treated leniently. How come your attitude has completely changed after the New Year?"

"...I'm just speaking frankly, Secretary Yuliang, please don't nitpick over these trivial matters," Li Dakang said with great dissatisfaction.

"Okay, I won't say anything more," Gao Yuliang said with a smile.

But he had already achieved his goal, and Li Dakang's zero-cost investment had failed.

Seeing this, Governor Liu quickly made the decision:

"In that case, it's approved. Hou Liangping's deputy director-general level benefits are revoked, he's demoted to deputy division chief, and transferred to the Provincial Federation of Literary and Art Circles. The Organization Department will issue a document to notify him, and he'll depart immediately and report for duty on the same day. Minister Xia, I'll leave the ideological work to the Organization Department."

"No problem," Xia Qing nodded.

After the meeting, Xia Qing returned to the department and gave Chen Hui some instructions.

Because the Federation of Literary and Art Circles was under the jurisdiction of the Fourth Cadre Division, which was in turn overseen by Chen Hui.

Logically speaking, such a transfer of a deputy division-level official in a provincial-level unit is like the transfer of a deputy section chief in a municipal-level unit, and it doesn't even warrant the attention of the Organization Department.

The decision can be made by the Party Committee of this unit itself.

Out of respect for the Zhong family, the fact that the deputy minister of the provincial party committee's organization department personally informed Hou Liangping was already considered a great favor.

Although Chen Hui was somewhat reluctant, he understood Xia Qing's intentions and accepted the task.

When Hou Liangping received the notice and came to Chen Hui, he thought that at most he would only receive another major demerit.

Chen Hui told him expressionlessly that he had been demoted from deputy director of the provincial anti-corruption bureau to deputy director of a department of the Federation of Literary and Art Circles.

This news struck like a bolt from the blue, shattering Hou Liangping's last remaining illusions.

Hou Liangping naturally knew what this meant.

From this point on, he would be separated from the political center of Handong and would drift further and further away, with no chance of ever turning things around.

Perhaps the Chung family will distance themselves from him, or even abandon him because of this.

How could Hou Liangping allow such a thing to happen?

He had barely opened his mouth, bringing up the Zhong family, when Chen Hui sneered and said:

"Comrade Hou Liangping, you don't need to use the Zhong family to intimidate me. I, Chen Hui, have worked in Handong for almost forty years, rising from township party secretary to deputy director of the provincial party committee's organization department. What storms haven't I weathered? Even when former Party Secretary Lichun was in office, he didn't do anything to me. You keep talking about the Zhong family; haven't you embarrassed them enough already? I believe Minister Zheng Guo wouldn't allow you to use your family's name to act lawlessly in Handong!"

Hou Liangping's face flushed red, and the words he was about to say were forced back down.

He felt an immense sense of oppression emanating from Chen Hui in front of him!

"We will report to the quarterly inspection team during the handover of your work. You can go directly to the Federation of Literary and Art Circles."

Chen Hui waved his hand and said, "Sit down," ignoring Hou Liangping.

For a vice minister at the provincial level to personally do ideological work with a deputy division-level cadre is truly a great honor.

Hou Liangping wanted to say something, but he couldn't utter a word.

All he knew was that the Zhong family hadn't spoken up for him, and he had ultimately become a discarded pawn, moving from the center stage of Handong to a forgotten corner.