Chapter 1820
"What, what are you doing?"
Cao Xiaolou, slow to realize, struggled mightily and angrily questioned.
Liang Jianfeng walked over and said, "Cao Xiaolou, you are suspected of criminal offenses and are under arrest. Come with us for investigation."
After speaking, he turned and left, and Cao Xiaolou was lifted by two police officers and followed.
Cao Xiaolou’s mental world was shaken. As he was being taken out the door, he suddenly awoke and shouted, "You can’t arrest me!"
He had already been dismissed, and what he had done before should end here and be wiped clean. How could they go over old accounts?
Secretary Zhou would never tolerate Wu Qiangwei doing this.
Yes, Secretary Zhou, he certainly doesn’t know!
"I want to contact Secretary Zhou!" he screamed.
Liang Jianfeng ignored his cries, and none of the police paid him any attention.
Secretary Xie, Gao Qi, and others watched him being taken away quietly, while the other leaders exchanged glances.
They had received calls from Secretary Xie or Gao Qi to come for a meeting, but they did not know the meeting’s theme.
Now, they knew.
This meeting was set up for the arrest of Cao Xiaolou.
Officials who had closely interacted with Cao Xiaolou before were inwardly panicked, swallowing hard, fearing that the police would return and take them away too.
They waited for a long time until Cao Xiaolou’s shouting faded away, only then did Secretary Xie say, "Cao Xiaolou misappropriated public funds. The municipal bureau has already filed an investigation. If any of you have relevant evidence, you can come to me after the meeting."
Officials who had good relations with Cao Xiaolou bowed their heads.
They understood that this meeting was not only for arresting Cao Xiaolou but also a warning to them.
Previously, Cao Xiaolou turned the county government into a one-man show. Now with Gao Qi in office, the subordinates might not necessarily cooperate with him.
With this happening now, they could only lean towards Gao Qi, earnestly cooperating in work to distance themselves from Cao Xiaolou.
Otherwise, Cao Xiaolou’s fate today could very well be their fate tomorrow.
...
"Cao Xiaolou has already been arrested and brought to justice."
Song Guanchao received the call and immediately found Wu Qiangwei.
Wu Qiangwei also received Liang Jianfeng’s call immediately.
"Contact Secretary Zhou," Song Guanchao suggested.
Wu Qiangwei thought this matter could be delayed until after the new year but didn’t expect it to happen so quickly.
She nodded and dialed Zhou Zheng.
During the dial tone, the call connected, and Zhou Zheng’s voice came through, "What’s the matter?"
Wu Qiangwei said, "Cao Xiaolou has just been arrested."
She was ready for Zhou Zheng to angrily slam the table.
About five seconds later, Zhou Zheng’s somewhat confused "Hmm" came through.
Following was a questioning with anger, "Arrested? Who arrested him?"
"I gave the order."
"Mayor Wu, what do you mean?" Zhou Zheng’s anger was almost uncontrollable.
She wanted Cao Xiaolou dismissed, and he compromised.
She wanted Gao Qi as the mayor, and he agreed.
As a result, right after the county government finished the Standing Committee and brought up Gao Qi, she turned around and arrested Cao Xiaolou.
Zhou Zheng felt he was being played and was furious.
Wu Qiangwei sighed softly, her tone helpless, "Cao Xiaolou threatened several county committee members."
She explained the reason, indicating that it wasn’t her intention to eliminate completely; Cao Xiaolou broke the rules first.
Zhou Zheng’s anger stilled for two seconds, then the phone was disconnected.
Wu Qiangwei put down the phone and said, "You carry on."
The die was cast; no matter how angry Zhou Zheng was, it couldn’t change.
...
Half an hour later, Zhou Zheng had already found out the specifics from Secretary Xie.
Wu Qiangwei wasn’t lying; Cao Xiaolou did indeed threaten.
A detail in there was that Liang Jianfeng used "misappropriation of public funds" as the charge to arrest Cao Xiaolou.
Doing so was to avoid making things too ugly.
If it were really for "threatening committee members," even the provincial level would pay attention, and he’d be involved.
Zhou Zheng felt extremely frustrated. His man was dismissed and arrested, yet he couldn’t do anything.
His anger had nowhere to vent and could only be suppressed inside.
"Worthless!"
If Cao Xiaolou were in front of him, he would undoubtedly kick him.
𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖
He didn’t care about Cao Xiaolou’s fate; he cared that his fate caused him to lose face.
This matter couldn’t be hidden; it wouldn’t be long before it spread throughout Jiangzhou.
...
The news did indeed reach the city; though Cao Xiaolou was dismissed, he was the former mayor after all.
Although Wu Qiangwei had held an advanced meeting, the organization department still needed notification.
Wang Jinming was stunned for quite a while when he learned of the matter.
He assumed that his suggestion during a meal a few days ago had been listened to by Wu Qiangwei.
But, directly convicting and arresting, he felt Wu Qiangwei went a bit too far.
Not until learning the specifics of Cao Xiaolou’s arrest did he realize.
In the officialdom, one must accept their losses.
Since he was dismissed, he should accept his defeat honestly.
A former mayor trying to play behind-the-scenes mastermind indeed cannot be tolerated.
"Secretary Zhou is having a bit of a rough year," Wang Jinming laughed.
...
"Mayor Wu went too far!"
Lv Jie promptly found Zhou Zheng, lodging a severe complaint.
Zhou Zheng’s emotions had long stabilized, and upon hearing this, merely waved a hand to comfort him, "Cao Xiaolou brought it upon himself, can’t blame others."
Lv Jie said, "Cao Xiaolou’s actions were indeed vile, but Mayor Wu should have given a heads-up, right? He was the former mayor after all, and you promoted him. She just arrested him, what does it look like?"
At this moment, the secretary pushed open the door and said, "Secretary Zhou, Secretary Bao is here."
"Invite him in."
Bao Qi walked in, greeted Lv Jie, "Deputy Secretary."
Lv Jie stood up and said, "You two talk."
Once Lv Jie left, Bao Qi asked, "What does Mayor Wu mean?"
Facing Bao Qi, Zhou Zheng’s attitude was entirely different: "What else could it mean, it’s to provoke me."
Then he added, "She had the reasoning on her side and spared my face, otherwise the reason for arrest wouldn’t be for misappropriating public funds."
Bao Qi nodded, glanced at the door, "Deputy Secretary stirring up trouble again?"
Zhou Zheng chuckled coldly and acknowledged with a nod.
Bao Qi sighed, "No one is behaving."
Lv Jie was eager for Zhou Zheng and Wu Qiangwei to fight, to profit from the situation.
But his intention was too obvious, even the blind could see it.
Zhou Zheng hadn’t paid much attention to this before; no matter how Lv Jie stirred trouble, he remained a deputy secretary, while the city committee was still under his control.
But that was during a time when things were going smoothly; now it’s a downturn, and with Lv Jie jumping around, he couldn’t help but be wary.
Often, fortresses are breached from within.
What if Lv Jie secretly teamed up with Wu Qiangwei to dig a trap for him?
After Bao Qi left, Zhou Zheng flipped to Zhang Yan’s number, "Dinner tonight."
"I have plans tonight."
"After dinner?"
"Contact after dinner."
"Alright, I’ll find you later then."
Zhang Yan knew him well, realizing that he sought her either for sex or to bother her with something, or both—first sex, then trouble.
From the information she had, she guessed Zhou Zheng encountered some problems as his leadership role was not very smooth.