Chapter Thirty-six: Anti-Corruption Storm
At this time, under the three buildings of the Local Taxation Bureau's family courtyard, it was already surrounded by family members who had gotten out of bed to see the excitement. Everyone gathered around the police car, some looking up at Li Li's home on the fourth floor with bated breath, others excitedly and mysteriously chattering, while others hid to one side, quietly making phone calls to relatives and friends, live broadcasting the situation here...
"Li Li may have fallen this time. I heard from a friend in the discipline inspection commission that generally, when a party member and leading cadre is investigated, they will first go through the shuanggui process before being transferred to judicial organs for handling. However, this time he was directly detained by the procuratorate, proving that the anti-corruption bureau has already grasped ironclad evidence of his crimes and does not need to go through the shuanggui process to get him to confess."
Director Li Zhihua of the County Bureau's Audit Office whispered to another middle-level official.
Ye Ming also put on his clothes and came to the bottom of the third building, listening to Li Zhihua's discussion while staring at the balcony of Li Lijia's fourth floor. He didn't feel excited or joyful in his heart, but instead felt a little heavy. Especially when he saw the schadenfreude expressions on the faces of his colleagues around him, he was even more uncomfortable: A colleague and leader who had been together for a long time had gone to prison, and an originally happy family had been completely destroyed. Although this was Li Lijia's own fault, there wasn't even a hint of sympathy on these colleagues' faces. This world is really too heartless...
Soon, two prosecutors came down from upstairs and asked: "Is the director of your county bureau's office, Chen Weiping, here? Trouble bringing us to Li Li's office, we need to conduct a search."
Chen Weiping stood at the side of the crowd with a sad face, upon hearing the prosecutor's words, he quickly walked over, forcing a smile on his face, saying: "Good leaders, I am Chen Weiping, I will take you there right now."
Two prosecutors looked him up and down without a word, then followed him to the office building.
Half an hour later, Chen Weiping and the two prosecutors returned. One of the prosecutors was holding a bulging big bag in his hand, presumably all the evidence seized from Li Li's office.
After walking downstairs, Chen Weiping stopped and said to the two prosecutors: "Leaders, you are busy, I will go home and rest first."
A prosecutor suddenly blocked Chen Weiping, took out a piece of paper from his briefcase and waved it in front of Chen Weiping, saying sternly: "Chen Weiping, according to Li Li's confession, some of his corrupt and bribery behaviors have involved you. This is the summons certificate of Xinleng County Procuratorate Anti-Corruption Bureau, please take a look, sign your name on it, and then follow us!"
Chen Weiping had always been harboring evil intentions: because he and Li Li had partnered in corruption and bribery too many times, not only accepting bribes from taxpayers but also embezzling tens of millions of yuan through false reports and claims within the bureau's budget. He still held a glimmer of hope that Li Li would show some loyalty and not turn him in. Unexpectedly, after being summoned by the anti-corruption agency for just one day, Li Li's defenses completely collapsed, not only confessing to all his own illegal activities but also implicating all the leaders who had colluded with him in corruption or accepted bribes from him...
Chen Weiping, amidst the shocked gazes of his colleagues around him, took the summons handed over by the prosecutor with a pale face and signed his name on it with trembling hands...
The next day, the news that Li Li, the head of the local tax bureau, and Chen Weiping, the director of the office, were criminally detained by the procuratorate spread to every corner of Xinleng County. Many people were talking about it, saying that on that night, the anti-corruption agency's investigators found over 3 million yuan in cash, deposit slips, bank cards, famous cigarettes and wine, as well as calligraphy and antiques worth over 10 million yuan from Li Li's home and office. Moreover, a large quantity of tonics for strengthening the kidneys and aphrodisiacs, condoms, and **light discs were also found in Li Li's office.
It was on the second day after Li Li was detained that the Party Group of K City Local Taxation Bureau made a decision: Zhang Dongfang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Deputy Director of the New Cold County Bureau, would act as the Director and temporarily take charge of all the work of the New Cold County Bureau.
Two days later, the K City Taxation Bureau again sent a shocking message: Municipal Party Secretary and Director Qiu Shunming, Municipal Personnel Education Section Chief Su Hua, were suspected of accepting bribes and using their power for personal gain, and were put under dual rules by the K City Discipline Inspection Commission...
This series of messages has caused a great stir in the K City Land Tax System. Many leaders and ordinary cadres who have good relations with Qiu Shunming, Li Li and Chen Weiping, and have had economic dealings with them, are all nervous and worried, not knowing which day disaster will suddenly befall them...
Many cadres in the municipal tax system also spread rumors that the fuse of this anti-corruption storm in the tax system was because a cadre named Ye Ming from Xinleng County Bureau beat Li Li and Chen Weiping, and received a major demerit punishment. As a result, he provoked Ye Ming's powerful backstage, and in a fit of anger, they were all brought down...
This rumor spread wider and wider, becoming more and more divine: Some people said that Ye Ming was the illegitimate son of Li Runji, the deputy secretary of the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission, but they didn't dare to acknowledge each other as father and son yet; some people said he was the prospective son-in-law of Xia Bizheng, the director of the Provincial Bureau, and would soon marry Xia Bizheng's daughter Xia Chuchu...
Ye Ming heard these rumors from others, although he was very annoyed, but couldn't argue clearly: after all, Li Li and the others were investigated, and the root cause was indeed on their own. At that time, Xu Fei predicted that he would "knock down two bureau chiefs with one punch", now it has become a living reality.
It's just that he claims to be Lee Yoon-ki's illegitimate son and is about to marry Xia Chuxu soon, this rumor is really too outrageous...
What infuriated and annoyed him even more was that now the cadres in the organization, whenever they saw him, would put on a hypocritical and humble smile on their faces. When talking to him, they were extremely cautious and respectful, as if they were afraid of saying something wrong that Ye Ming could seize upon.
This intangible estrangement and hypocritical courtesy made Ye Ming suddenly feel that he was being kept at arm's length by the leading cadres.
Moreover, these days when night falls, Ye Ming would receive many phone calls inviting him to dinner, singing, and foot washing. These phone calls were all made by mid-level cadres who had a good relationship with Li Li and Chen Weiping. Some department heads even brought cigarettes and wine or red envelopes, sneaking into Ye Ming's dormitory, crying and begging him to speak for them at the Discipline Inspection Commission and Procuratorate, asking not to be implicated in Li Li and Chen Weiping's case...
Ye Ming was at a loss for words with these people's demands, and could only repeatedly explain: he didn't know anyone from the Discipline Inspection Commission or the Procuratorate at all, nor did he have any ability to give them anything...
By the fourth day, Ye Ming could no longer bear these people's entanglement, so he asked for a leave from the bureau and rushed to the provincial city again.
