Chapter 46: The phone is powered off.

Li Xiangshan told Wang Jian the reason why Ma Zenggong didn't come. Wang Jian's face turned ashen. Just a moment ago, Jie Lianbing had come to see him, and now he was already at the county education bureau?

"Director Li, have Ma Zenggong call from the county education bureau's landline. I want to see where he really is!" Wang Jian suddenly thought of this idea.

Seeing Wang Jian so serious, Li Xiangshan hesitated for a moment and said, "Director Wang, is this really a good idea?"

Wang Jian knew that he usually had to give some face to middle-level cadres and not push things to the extreme, or others would think he was too strict. But now was a critical moment, and he needed to find a way to deal with Ma Zenggong. Why talk about face?

"Ma Zenggong's behavior is improper, and he is insincere towards his superiors. He doesn't support the teachers in doing a good job in education. What face do we give him? Director Li, you go ahead and call. If he doesn't report the situation truthfully, I'll call him myself." Wang Jian said sternly to Li Xiangshan.

Seeing Wang Jian so determined, Li Xiangshan naturally didn't hesitate anymore. Since he took charge of cultural, educational, and health work, Ma Zenggong had always played with Fang Zhiming and never respected him. If anyone wanted to deal with Ma Zenggong, it was him.

After redialing, Ma Zenggong said impatiently, "Director Li, what else is there?"

"Director Wang wants you to call from the county education bureau's phone. He wants to talk to you!" Li Xiangshan said directly.

Ma Zenggong was stunned. No leader had ever done this before. Wang Jian was deliberately trying to get him in trouble!

"Director Li, I can't hear you clearly. The signal is bad here. I'll report back to you when I get back!" Ma Zenggong deliberately said the signal was bad and hung up.

When Li Xiangshan called again, the other end said, "The number you dialed is powered off."

After telling Wang Jian, Wang Jian looked out the window coldly and said, "Director Li, we are in a weak position now!"

Li Xiangshan understood Wang Jian's thoughts. He was getting closer to Wang Jian. He said, "Director Wang, just tell me what to do."

"Ma Zenggong must be removed. Otherwise, who will take us seriously in the future?" Wang Jian turned to Li Xiangshan and said.

Li Xiangshan nodded forcefully. Wang Jian continued, "Do you have a candidate to replace the education committee director?"

"I think Xiao Lu in the education committee is quite good. He is very obedient, and I have a good impression of him. His relationship with Ma Zenggong is also average." Li Xiangshan thought for a moment and said.

"What's his name?" Wang Jian asked.

"Lu Yongqiang."

"Have him come and see me!"

Wang Jian decided to meet Lu Yongqiang first to see how he was, and then find a way to promote him.

The "Xiao Lu" Li Xiangshan mentioned was actually already in his thirties. He had been helping in the education committee for a long time but was not even a deputy director. The few deputy directors were all followers of Ma Zenggong. Li Xiangshan didn't want any of them to take over, so he mentioned the obedient and honest Lu Yongqiang.

Lu Yongqiang was busy in his office when he heard Li Xiangshan asking him to come to the township. He quickly got up and headed to the township government compound.

When he arrived at Li Xiangshan's office, Li Xiangshan led him to Wang Jian's office. Hearing that the township chief wanted to see him, Lu Yongqiang was quite nervous. When he entered Wang Jian's office, he timidly said, "Hello, Director Wang!"

He indeed looked very honest. Wang Jian glanced at Lu Yongqiang but knew that just being honest and obedient wasn't enough; he also needed to have the ability to work. Wang Jian looked up at Lu Yongqiang and asked, "Xiao Lu, you have been working in the education committee for a long time. What are your thoughts on how to improve education?"

When Lu Yongqiang heard this question, he immediately became confident and began to explain in detail to Wang Jian.

Wang Jian listened carefully and felt that Lu Yongqiang was very focused on educational issues. He was inclined to favor him and said, "Xiao Lu, you have spoken very well. Share these ideas with Director Li and get his support to implement them."

"But Director Ma is not very enthusiastic about it," Lu Yongqiang raised a question.

"You don't need to worry about him. Just focus on doing your job well!" Wang Jian said.

Lu Yongqiang didn't say anything more and followed Li Xiangshan out. When he returned to the township education committee, he couldn't figure out why Wang Jian suddenly summoned him and asked these questions, but getting praise from the township chief was a very satisfying thing. He was so happy that a middle-aged woman next to him scolded him, "Xiao Lu, what are you doing, swaying your head like that!"

Lu Yongqiang quickly sat back at his desk and stayed still. The woman was a relative of Ma Zenggong.

Ma Zenggong didn't return all afternoon. Zheng Shiguang came back from outside, and Wang Jian immediately went to report the matter to him.

Entering Zheng Shiguang's office, Wang Jian smiled and said, "Secretary Zheng, the flowers in your room are about to wither. You should change them!"

Seeing Wang Jian's concern, Zheng Shiguang chuckled and said, "I was just about to change them but didn't have the time."

After some small talk, Wang Jian sat down and said to Zheng Shiguang, "Teachers came to the township to petition about their wages. I managed to calm them down after much persuasion. Afterward, I called Ma Zenggong to ask about the situation, but he not only didn't come but also turned off his phone. I don't know where he went. Secretary Zheng, what should we do about this?"

Hearing that the teachers had come to the township to petition, Zheng Shiguang was very unhappy and said, "What's wrong with Ma Zenggong? He didn't report the teachers' petition. This is outrageous. Director Wang, don't be upset. I'll call him."

Although he was very pleased that Ma Zenggong didn't respect Wang Jian, Zheng Shiguang had to consider the unity within the leadership team. At the very least, he had to show respect to Wang Jian. He had to warn Ma Zenggong.

Picking up the phone to call Ma Zenggong, he found that the phone was indeed powered off. Zheng Shiguang's face turned grim as he thought for a moment and then called Fang Zhiming, knowing that the two were close.

At that moment, Fang Zhiming and Ma Zenggong were watching a dance performance at a bathhouse in the city and didn't have their phones with them. Zheng Shiguang called several times without anyone answering, which made him very angry.

"Where is Fang Zhiming? He doesn't even answer the phone!" Zheng Shiguang angrily threw the phone and said to Wang Jian.

Wang Jian didn't expect Zheng Shiguang to call Fang Zhiming and said, "Is Director Fang with Director Ma?"

"These two are close. I wanted to ask him, but no one answered!" Zheng Shiguang said.

Seeing that Zheng Shiguang was angry, Wang Jian had to add fuel to the fire and said, "Secretary Zheng, Ma Zenggong misappropriated the funds for dilapidated house renovation as office expenses. I wanted to investigate his accounts last time. This time, the teachers came to petition, and he didn't know in advance or simply ignored it, causing trouble for the party and government. When I called him, his phone was powered off. Such a cadre is more harmful than helpful. I demand a serious handling of him. Otherwise, it will lead to serious problems in the long run!"

Zheng Shiguang looked at Wang Jian. He knew that Wang Jian was very angry. Although he was also angry with Ma Zenggong, he had to consider the balance between Wang Jian and Ma Zenggong. His backer, the county party committee member and vice-county magistrate Lin Hongjun, had warned him to handle the relationship with Wang Jian well. If Wang Jian insisted on dealing with Ma Zenggong, he had no good reason to refuse, given that Ma Zenggong was too disrespectful to Wang Jian.

"Director Wang, Ma Zenggong is indeed a scoundrel, but he is an old comrade who has worked for many years. If we handle him, he might not accept it!" Zheng Shiguang said tentatively.

Wang Jian couldn't back down this time and said, "Secretary Zheng, if Ma Zenggong stays as the education committee director, let him be the township chief. Since I can't lead him, how can I do my work in the future?"

Seeing that Wang Jian was really angry, Zheng Shiguang softened and said, "Alright, let's discuss it at the next meeting. I will give you a response, Director Wang!"

Wang Jian stood up and said, "Secretary Zheng, it's not a personal matter for me, but letting such a person stay in a position of educating the youth is a disservice to the people. How can we explain this to the masses?"

Zheng Shiguang didn't say anything more. After a brief eye contact with Wang Jian, Wang Jian said, "Secretary Zheng, please consider it. I'll leave now!"

Watching Wang Jian walk out, Zheng Shiguang shook his head. He felt that Wang Jian was not easy to deal with when he was angry. He couldn't underestimate him as the township party secretary anymore.

After watching the dance, Ma Zenggong found a girl to play with for a while. Fang Zhiming rested in the bathhouse hall and then got up to get dressed. He found several missed calls from Zheng Shiguang and quickly called back.

"Fang Zhiming, where have you been? Why didn't you answer the phone?" Zheng Shiguang asked angrily as soon as the call connected.

Fang Zhiming stammered, "I was out on business!"

"What business are you doing without your phone? Is Ma Zenggong with you?" Zheng Shiguang demanded.

"I was with Ma Zenggong, doing some small things at the county education bureau!" Fang Zhiming hurriedly said.

"Don't lie to me. You don't even handle education. Why go to the education bureau with him? Have Ma Zenggong talk to me!" Zheng Shiguang didn't believe Fang Zhiming's lies.

"He, he left," Fang Zhiming thought Ma Zenggong was still enjoying himself in the room and couldn't find him, so he lied again.

Zheng Shiguang was silent for a moment and said to Fang Zhiming, "I don't care where you are. Find Ma Zenggong within half an hour and come back to see me!"

After hanging up, Zheng Shiguang was frustrated by Fang Zhiming's lies.

Seeing that Zheng Shiguang was really angry, Fang Zhiming hurriedly went to the room to find Ma Zenggong. Ma Zenggong was still with the girl. Hearing the knock, he thought it was a room inspection and quickly jumped out of bed, telling the girl to open the door. Fang Zhiming walked in and said, "Old Ma, get dressed quickly. Secretary Zheng is looking for us, and we need to go back immediately!"

Ma Zenggong was still in the middle of something and was very unhappy. "What does Secretary Zheng want?"

Fang Zhiming said, "Probably because Wang Jian reported to him. I didn't have my phone, and he called me, but I didn't answer. He's angry. Let's go quickly!"

Ma Zenggong reluctantly put on his clothes and was about to leave. The girl reached out her hand, and Ma Zenggong gave her fifty yuan.

The girl grabbed him and said, "We agreed on one hundred!"

"Come on, I didn't finish. Do I still have to pay one hundred?" Ma Zenggong said unhappily.

"Whether you finished or not is your problem. You have to pay one hundred." The girl insisted.

Seeing that Ma Zenggong was still arguing, Fang Zhiming said, "Give her the money, Old Ma. Don't argue!"

Ma Zenggong took out one hundred yuan and threw it on the ground, then followed Fang Zhiming out.

---

End of the page.