Chapter 18: Feng Guoqiang is Punished

After talking on the phone with Lü Fang, Fang Zhiming was convinced that Feng Guoqiang had just been bluffing him. Although he did not admit that he had ordered the incident, Feng Guoqiang must have believed that Fang Zhiming was behind it. Therefore, since he had already offended Feng Guoqiang, he decided to go all the way and report Feng Guoqiang to the county discipline inspection commission and the county organization department, aiming to completely bring him down and prevent him from making a comeback.

Feng Guoqiang found it hard to believe that Fang Zhiming would act so decisively. After the county discipline inspection commission and the county party committee organization department learned about Feng Guoqiang's situation, they forwarded the举报letter to the Xianhe Township Party Committee for handling, requiring a response within ten days.

Zhang Zeguang, upon seeing the forwarded举报letter, lowered his head and pondered. Feng Guoqiang was the old party and government office director, and he had intended to promote him to deputy township head. However, this incident occurred, and now the county authorities were also involved, making it difficult for him as the party secretary.

He called Li Jiarong to discuss the matter. Punishing Feng Guoqiang would offend people, and he wanted to involve Li Jiarong in the process.

When Li Jiarong arrived and heard that they were discussing how to handle Feng Guoqiang's involvement with a prostitute, he immediately said, "Everything will be up to Secretary Zhang."

Zhang Zeguang, displeased, said, "Old Li, you are the deputy party secretary of the township. You should also give your opinion on this matter, right?"

Li Jiarong pretended to think for a moment and said, "Secretary Zhang, I heard that Feng Guoqiang was set up by others. If we punish him, won't he be不服?"

"Set up? That's because he was willing to be set up. This incident has disgraced our Xianhe Township, and now it has been reported to the county. I can't protect him even if I want to," Zhang Zeguang said with a frown.

Li Jiarong realized that Zhang Zeguang was actively planning to punish Feng Guoqiang but wanted him to take the blame. Since Zhang Zeguang couldn't bring himself to do it, Li Jiarong decided to make a deal. The deputy director of the forestry station, Guo Qiang, had not been promoted to director despite multiple requests to Li Jiarong. Zhang Zeguang had not agreed because Guo Qiang was too close to Li Jiarong. Now, if Zhang Zeguang wanted to use Li Jiarong to handle Feng Guoqiang, he should agree to promote Guo Qiang to director.

"Secretary Zhang, shouldn't we also discuss Guo Qiang's promotion? The forestry station has been without a director for a long time, and by qualifications, he should be promoted," Li Jiarong said after agreeing to handle the matter with Feng Guoqiang.

Zhang Zeguang said calmly, "There are reports that Guo Qiang charges fees improperly. I'm afraid appointing him as director would cause controversy."

"Guo Qiang has always performed well, and it's normal for there to be some controversy. Besides, who else can we use?" Li Jiarong explained.

Zhang Zeguang thought for a moment and smiled, "Since you want to use Guo Qiang, let him come to me. I have some questions to ask him. If the reports are false, I will agree to his promotion."

Li Jiarong smiled, knowing that Zhang Zeguang had basically agreed but wanted Guo Qiang to show some respect.

In Li Jiarong's view, Zhang Zeguang was making a bad deal, but he didn't realize that Feng Guoqiang had become a burden to Zhang Zeguang. After being removed from his position as party and government office director, it was difficult to arrange a new position for him. Zhang Zeguang had intended to promote him to deputy township head, but the incident with the prostitute made that impossible. Now, with the county discipline inspection commission and the county organization department involved, Zhang Zeguang felt that Feng Guoqiang was more of a liability than an asset. Therefore, he decided to let Li Jiarong handle the matter, and if Li Jiarong caused trouble, Zhang Zeguang would enjoy the spectacle.

After leaving Zhang Zeguang's office, Li Jiarong felt he had made a good deal. He first called Guo Qiang to tell him the good news and then notified Wang Jian to call Feng Guoqiang to his office.

After recognizing Fang Zhiming's true nature, Feng Guoqiang became much friendlier to Wang Jian. When Wang Jian came to his office, Feng Guoqiang immediately stood up with a smile.

"Director Feng, Deputy Township Head Li said he wants to see you and asked me to notify you," Wang Jian said with a smile.

Feng Guoqiang, surprised by Li Jiarong's request, asked, "Director Wang, do you know what it's about?"

"Deputy Township Head Li didn't say, and I can't guess," Wang Jian replied.

Feng Guoqiang looked at Wang Jian deeply and said, "Director Wang, I've been feeling a bit uneasy lately. It's all because of Fang Zhiming. I was really blind. You should also be careful. He has many close friends in the township, especially Yang Juncai. You can be polite to them, but don't get too close, and don't go out to eat with them recently."

Feng Guoqiang's warning was greatly appreciated by Wang Jian, who had not considered this before. Now, he realized he needed to be cautious.

"Thank you for the warning, Director Feng. I know what to do," Wang Jian nodded.

Feng Guoqiang went to see Li Jiarong, who greeted him warmly and said with a smile, "Old Feng, please sit down."

Li Jiarong's enthusiasm surprised Feng Guoqiang, as they usually had a cold relationship.

"Deputy Township Head Li, what do you need?" Feng Guoqiang asked after sitting down.

Li Jiarong smiled and said, "Old Feng, Secretary Zhang has forwarded me some letters. I want to show them to you."

He then took out the举报letter from the county discipline inspection commission. Feng Guoqiang's face turned pale as he read it, which clearly required the Xianhe Township Party Committee to give a punishment.

"Old Feng, what do you think?" Li Jiarong asked, watching Feng Guoqiang's expression after he finished reading.

Feng Guoqiang did not speak, thinking about what to do. First, he wondered who had written the举报letter to the county. His first thought was Fang Zhiming. Second, he wondered why Zhang Zeguang had Li Jiarong talk to him instead of doing it himself, indicating that Zhang Zeguang was avoiding him and had already decided on the punishment. It seemed that Zhang Zeguang was planning to abandon him.

Feng Guoqiang sighed and said, "I have no opinion. What does the township think? Please tell me, Deputy Township Head Li."

Seeing Feng Guoqiang's poor mood, Li Jiarong said gently, "Old Feng, the higher authorities are pressuring us, and we have no choice. This matter has not been handled well. The township has decided to remove you from your position as deputy township head and give you a severe warning within the party."

"What? Deputy Township Head Li, isn't this punishment too severe!" Feng Guoqiang stood up, not expecting to be removed from his position and punished. This was a devastating blow. He thought he might lose his position as deputy township head but expected to be given another position, at least a significant one. The warning would be recorded in his personal file, and now he was being stripped of everything, which he could not accept.

"Listen, Old Feng, this is unavoidable. The county authorities wanted to expel you from the party. We worked hard to get this result. You need to understand the difficulties of the party committee," Li Jiarong quickly tried to persuade him.

Feng Guoqiang's face turned ashen, and he said, "Deputy Township Head Li, I have worked hard for so many years, and this is my fate. I will go to Secretary Zhang."

"Old Feng, don't be upset," Li Jiarong quickly stood up to hold him back. If Feng Guoqiang went to Zhang Zeguang in anger, Zhang Zeguang would think that Li Jiarong had failed, and the promotion of Guo Qiang would be in jeopardy.

Feng Guoqiang found it strange that Li Jiarong was preventing him from seeing Zhang Zeguang, as if he was particularly trying to protect Zhang Zeguang, which was unprecedented.

"Old Feng, it's done. What's the point of seeing Secretary Zhang? You should endure for now. There will be opportunities in the future. If I stay in Xianhe Township, I will help you stand up again. Do you agree?" Li Jiarong said earnestly.

Feng Guoqiang looked at him coldly and said, "Is Secretary Zhang afraid to see me now?"

Li Jiarong smiled awkwardly and said, "Not at all. I'm just thinking for you. In politics, you need to know how to endure."

"Haha, Deputy Township Head Li is really good at enduring!" Feng Guoqiang said coldly.

Li Jiarong felt embarrassed. He usually endured a lot in front of Zhang Zeguang, and Feng Guoqiang's words made him angry. "Old Feng, I'm trying to help you. You went to a brothel, and the punishment from the county and township is justified. We have already done our best to protect you. If you don't understand, I won't care anymore. If you want to see Secretary Zhang, go ahead. We tried to protect you, but the people's eyes are sharp. The举报letter has been sent, and we will also be punished. I hope you understand the consequences."

These words left Feng Guoqiang speechless. Although he felt wronged and set up, he had indeed gone to a brothel. He had no way to turn the situation around and could only blame himself for making the wrong friends.

Seeing that Feng Guoqiang was silent, Li Jiarong softened his tone and said, "Old Feng, I understand you might have been set up, but it's too late now. What's the point of thinking about it? It's better to endure for now and wait for future opportunities."

Feng Guoqiang felt there was nothing he could do and asked, "What should I do next?"

"You can go to a village for a while or take some rest," Li Jiarong replied.

Without saying anything else, Feng Guoqiang walked out.

As he walked to the party and government office, he encountered Fang Zhiming. Feng Guoqiang angrily called him a "white-eyed wolf."

Fang Zhiming clearly heard it but pretended not to and quickly moved away. Feng Guoqiang spat and walked out of the township government