Chapter 39

Chapter 31: The Rumors of the Agency

Sure enough, as Li Clan had said on the phone, Liang Fei prepared to escape under the cover of darkness that night, only to be immediately apprehended by the people Yang Zixuan had deployed in advance.

While the attention of the county's top officials was focused on the progress of the Tianma Township investigation team, no one noticed the sudden change in the situation in Qianchi Town!

This made Liu Xiao sigh in admiration; Yang Zixuan's decision to quickly resolve the Qianchi case was indeed correct!

Firstly, it could prevent Su Nan and Lin Ruoshui and their group from expanding the Qianchi incident, thereby interfering with specific personnel adjustments and affairs of the government, which would affect Yang Zixuan's prestige in the county government. Secondly, Yang Zixuan could use Liu Jian, a key figure, to reach a compromise and balance with Su Nan.

In the Hongshui County reception center, under the relentless questioning of the county discipline inspection commission and the procuratorate, Liang Li and Li Tian quickly broke down psychologically and confessed to their large-scale embezzlement. They also revealed that Liang Fei, the chief of the Qianchi Town police station, had used his position to accept bribes.

The mystery of Qiu Nan's suicide, a key figure in the Qianchi enigma, also began to unravel.

It turned out that after Qiu Nan was assigned to Qianchi Town as the town mayor, he was quickly seduced by Liang Li and Li Tian's honeyed words. To firmly control this highly educated outsider, Liang Li did not hesitate to sacrifice her dignity and seduce Qiu Nan!

Although Qiu Nan still had some willpower in the face of money, he completely succumbed to Liang Li's alluring and fair body. The two often engaged in illicit affairs in the town government's office, which matched the situation described by Qiu Nan's wife, Li Ling, that Qiu Nan often "stayed up all night" at the town government writing articles.

However, Liang Li and Li Tian's greed grew larger. The family planning office in Qianchi Town repeatedly collected social support fees, and many of these fees were not reported but directly entered the pockets of Liang Li, Li Tian, and Liang Fei. Liang Fei also cooperated in arresting residents who refused to pay the social support fees, claiming that they were organizing training sessions for women who violated family planning regulations, thereby amassing a large fortune.

Qiu Nan also repeatedly approved the reimbursement of fabricated family planning activity expenses by Liang Li, which were actually embezzled by this group of corrupt officials.

However, as Liang Li increasingly demanded reimbursement for various baseless expenses and Li Tian privately forced him to strongly push for the reform of the town's food factory, Qiu Nan's mental state deteriorated.

This group of people united to attack Li Clan, who was conservative and refused to join in their corruption, at the town party committee meetings, eventually marginalizing him.

Qiu Nan was not inherently bad, but with Li Tian and Liang Li holding his weaknesses over him, he was repeatedly pressured and ultimately chose to jump from a building to escape.

Yang Zixuan looked at the confession Liu Xiao had brought him, which detailed how Liang Li had gradually lured Qiu Nan into her own trap of seduction, and sighed lightly.

"Who would have thought that a promising, highly educated official like Qiu Nan would fall so low, truly heartbreaking!" Liu Xiao said with a look of regret. "The county magistrate's judgment is excellent, seeing through the situation clearly. When Qiu Nan first committed suicide, you didn't believe the one-sided words of Liang Li and Li Tian and blame Li Clan, otherwise, it would have wronged another good grassroots official of our party."

"Even you, Sister Liu, are teasing me." Yang Zixuan smiled. Despite the age difference of over a decade, the two had a lot in common, and Yang Zixuan often called Liu Xiao "Sister Liu" in private.

"Seeing through the situation clearly, that's not what I said." Liu Xiao smiled faintly. "Now, the people of Tianma Township have a high level of trust in you. Your decisive handling of the disputes in Tianma Township and your firm demand for Liu Jian's punishment at the standing committee meeting are being widely discussed in the county government compound. My son, who studies at the county high school, even came home to ask me if it was true."

Yang Zixuan frowned. "Firmly demanding Liu Jian's punishment at the standing committee meeting? Where did this rumor come from?"

"This phrase has spread throughout the county party and government compound."

"Then the person who spread this phrase must have ulterior motives." Yang Zixuan frowned. "I didn't say it so definitively at the standing committee meeting. I said that if Liu Jian's issues were not serious, there was no need to punish him."

After Yang Zixuan said this, Liu Xiao also felt that the phrase was inappropriate.

"The person who spread this phrase is trying to put you on the hot seat." Liu Xiao nodded, admiring Yang Zixuan's political acumen. She couldn't understand how someone so young could think so far ahead and so deeply.

"The person who spread this phrase is hoping that Liu Jian will cause a rift between me and Secretary Su Nan, so he can benefit from the conflict!" Yang Zixuan said after a moment of thought.

"Who do you think is the most likely person?" Liu Xiao nodded.

"Without a doubt, this person must be a member of the standing committee." Yang Zixuan said calmly, a hint of determination flashing in his dark eyes.

Yang Zixuan fell into deep thought, lit a cigarette, and remained silent for a while. There were still a few members of the standing committee whose inclinations were unclear. The new organization minister, Huang He, although he was a protégé of the city party secretary, Mo Tianchang, was closer to Su Nan, but the true nature of their relationship was unknown. The political and legal affairs secretary, He Longbin, had always been very secretive. He was a non-falling figure in the Xu Li case, rising directly from deputy director of the criminal investigation bureau to political and legal affairs secretary. He had not spoken at several standing committee meetings, and it was unclear whether he was neutral or waiting for the right price. Another was the new standing committee vice-county magistrate, Fang Ling, who had taken over Yang Zixuan's former position. She was a formidable figure, responsible for important areas of work when Yang Zixuan was the standing committee vice-county magistrate, and had good relations with Xu Fuguo and Li Sicheng. It was unexpected that she would advance further to become a standing committee member this time.

Yang Zixuan was puzzled because he couldn't see which city leader Fang Ling had connections with to secure her position as a standing committee member.

At present, Fang Ling, as a standing committee vice-county magistrate, had not posed any significant constraints on Yang Zixuan. She was responsible for some less important departments and clean agencies under the county government, but Yang Zixuan did not dare to be complacent.

According to the information provided by Song An, Fang Ling had been visiting Su Nan's office more frequently recently. If the two were to collaborate, Fang Ling could become an excellent pawn for Su Nan to control and constrain Yang Zixuan in the county government.

"Yes, you should be cautious about this." Liu Xiao kindly reminded him. "At the county standing committee meetings, there are still a few low-key figures. These figures may remain silent, but they could surprise everyone at critical moments."