Qi Tongwei: Sign-in relationship started during student days

Chapter 1060 Faction Selection

Pei Yihong picked up his teacup, took a sip, and looked at Qi Tongwei with deep eyes, speaking solemnly: "In the future, you will definitely take on a more important position and deal with all sorts of people."

Among these people, there will be your friends and your enemies, some you like and some you look down on.

But I hope you remember that, whether friend or foe, their position must never be above the interests of the Party and the people!

Qi Tongwei nodded, his face serious. "Secretary Pei, I'll remember what you said."

Now that I have become a member of the Red Star Party, I will remain steadfast in fulfilling the original aspiration and mission of a Party member.

He paused for a moment, then began to offer a sincere self-criticism.

"Secretary Pei, I feel that I didn't handle Duan Feng's problem well enough."

If I had reported to the provincial party committee sooner, we wouldn't have left Beishan with such a major case involving one death and one injury.

Pei Yihong put down his teacup, the bottom of which made a soft tapping sound on the mahogany tea table.

"You always try to take the blame yourself when something happens."

Duan Feng's problem stems from his own corrupt conduct and his arrogance in disregarding organizational discipline; it's something that you can't cover up sooner or later just by reporting it.

Besides, we can't possibly investigate a member of the municipal party committee standing committee just because of a few rumors circulating outside.

He paused, leaned back slightly, and sank into the large leather sofa. His tone became a bit more serious: "However, this case in Beishan has also served as a warning to all leaders and cadres in the province."

When dealing with corruption among officials, we always focus on the obvious problems.

Abuse of power, buying and selling of official positions, and embezzlement of public funds are all treated as trivial matters, as minor issues that can be ignored!

At first glance, keeping a mistress may not seem as serious as those corrupt officials who embezzle millions or tens of millions, but digging deeper reveals that it is not a minor ailment, but the root of all evil!

If you want to keep a mistress, you have to pay her to support her, but where does that money come from?

It won't fall from the sky, nor will it grow from the ground! It can only be used to treat the power entrusted to it by the Party and the people as private property that can be pawned or exchanged!

Turning public power into cash and treating one's duties as a business—this is the most insidious and deadly symptom of corruption!

Today, someone can betray their principles for a mistress; tomorrow, they can betray the organization, the Party, and the people for greater interests!

This kind of misconduct is the gateway to corruption, the anthill that allows a dam to burst! If it's not plugged, a catastrophe will inevitably follow sooner or later!

Qi Tongwei leaned forward slightly: "Secretary Pei, you've hit the nail on the head!"

We cadres who have been working our way up in the officialdom can't avoid two hurdles: the hurdle of money and the hurdle of beauty!

When it comes to financial difficulties, some people can rely on their strong will to endure poverty and loneliness and get through it.

But this place of beauty is truly a dangerous pass; many people have fallen because of it!

Unlike money, this kind of challenge is often not a carefully laid trap, but rather a moment of infatuation, a man's instincts.

But it was precisely this moment of impulse, this moment of folly, that caused so many good comrades to step into the abyss.

In the end, he not only suffered disgrace and imprisonment, but also destroyed a happy family and betrayed the organization's years of training!

Pei Yihong nodded and continued the conversation: "So, Tongwei, this problem absolutely cannot be taken lightly; it must be eradicated at its source!"

A few days ago, I had a half-day discussion with Comrade Hua Tao, and we agreed that the core issue is to increase the severity of penalties and truly punish offenders!

According to the "Red Star Party Disciplinary Regulations" and the regulations on the management of public officials, those with serious misconduct should be expelled from the Party and dismissed from public office without any leniency.

But what's the reality? The reality is that at the execution level, we always habitually avoid the important and focus on the trivial!

They always held the idea of ​​'curing the sick and saving lives,' thinking that they could save as many as possible and treat people leniently if possible.

Little did they know that it was precisely this kind of "mercy"—raising the issue high and then letting it fall gently—that allowed some people to take chances, thinking that Party discipline and national laws were just empty words, and that making mistakes was nothing more than going through the motions and getting away with a few criticisms!

This cannot continue! We must no longer resort to such superficial punishments as 'admonitory talks' or 'party warnings' to get by!

Those who cross the red line must pay the heaviest price to serve as a warning to others and to safeguard the integrity and uprightness of the cadre ranks!

Qi Tongwei wholeheartedly agreed and said sincerely, "Secretary Pei, let's start this clean and upright atmosphere from Beishan!"

Pei Yihong was about to nod in agreement, but then hesitated and waved his hand: "Let's forget it. You Beishan people are not suitable to be the vanguard."

Beishan's economy has just started to show some signs of improvement and has not yet truly taken hold.

Launching a large-scale anti-corruption campaign at this time, with its significant impact, will inevitably make investors uneasy, making them feel that our business environment is unstable.

"I've worked at the grassroots level for many years, and I know the ins and outs of this place very well." Pei Yihong sighed, his tone tinged with helplessness. "Sometimes, in order to secure a project and attract investment, the comrades below have no choice but to do what they're told."

It's common to accompany women to meals and drinks, and it's not considered outrageous to casually sing a few songs while embracing a woman.

On the surface, these things seem to cross the line of ethical conduct, but upon closer examination, they are actually a tacitly accepted rule of development.

Moreover, even if we tighten our grip, at the county and township levels, those deeply entrenched relationships remain, and they will still cover things up, which may inadvertently breed more hidden problems.

It would be better to be more lenient with you.

We cannot allow people to develop while simultaneously tying their hands and feet.

But red lines must be drawn, and warnings must be sounded to constantly remind them to uphold the bottom line and have a sense of awe.

Therefore, my opinion is that this wind must blow, and it must blow fiercely—in the province, it could be a Force 10 gale, showing no mercy.

But when it comes to grassroots levels like Beishan, how much to scrape and how hard to scrape is up to you to decide.

We can't take a one-size-fits-all approach; we need to leave some room for maneuver for those below.

The core principle is this: while we must focus on economic development and achieve political success to boost Beishan's progress, we absolutely cannot allow any major misconduct cases to occur that could affect the overall situation. Understand?

After saying that, Pei Yihong paused, a meaningful smile appearing on his face, and slowly looked at Qi Tongwei, saying, "Tongwei, you can understand what I've been saying, right?"

Qi Tongwei was quite moved. As the top official of a province, the fact that the official was so open and honest with him meant that he considered him one of his own.

He was moved for a moment: "Secretary Pei, you not only consider the overall situation of the province, but also think about the difficulties of our Beishan. We, the people of Beishan, will always remember this consideration."

Don't worry, I know what I'm doing in Beishan. We're going to make a big impact on this situation, and deter those who are taking chances.

We must also be careful not to disappoint investors.

I will definitely strike the right balance, ensuring that I achieve political success without causing trouble, and live up to your trust!

Pei Yihong nodded in satisfaction. "I'm relieved to hear you say that."

After that, he shifted the focus of the conversation back to Beishan's work.

Pei Yihong paid special attention to Qi Tongwei's work progress in Beishan over the past year, asking many detailed questions.

Seeing this, Qi Tongwei simply began a formal report.

The report discussed Beishan Motors' production growth over the past year and mentioned the increased advertising strategy to expand the market. The data was detailed and every sentence was practical.

They also talked about the achievements in the restructuring and reorganization of state-owned enterprises, clearly explaining which established factories had turned losses into profits and which emerging sectors had made breakthroughs.

They also discussed Beishan City's diversified development strategy, how the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries can work together, and how employment and livelihood data can steadily improve, covering a wide range of topics in great detail.

Pei Yihong sat opposite him, listening intently, nodding occasionally in agreement.

Especially when Qi Tongwei talked about the remarkable achievements made after overcoming difficulties, his tense lips gradually relaxed, and a clear look of satisfaction appeared on his face. He also relaxed a lot.

This relaxation brought a wave of intense weariness.

The intense work over the past few days had already exhausted the provincial party secretary's energy. His eyelids, which he was trying to keep open, grew heavier and heavier. Before long, he leaned against the back of his chair and drifted off to sleep.

As the head of a province, Pei Yihong's responsibilities are no less than Qi Tongwei's.

In the new year, he must not only grasp the overall situation but also be vigilant against various potential dangers that may occur during the Spring Festival.

They should also take the time to visit retired veterans in the local area, listen to their voices, and go deep into the grassroots to visit and comfort them, just like Qi Tongwei, so as to deliver the care of the Party and the country to the people and to the grassroots.

Each and every one of these matters represents the image of the Party Committee and the government, and cannot be neglected in the slightest; they are extremely mentally taxing.

Qi Tongwei could only keep his voice down as he gave the report.

Once the other person had completely fallen asleep, Qi Tongwei shut his mouth and prepared to leave.

But Pei Yihong was also a workaholic. He jolted awake the moment Qi Tongwei stopped speaking.

"Hey, Tongwei, I'm sorry, I'm just really tired. By the way, where were we?"

Qi Tongwei said worriedly, "Secretary Pei, why don't you take a rest?"

If you want to hear a report, I can do it anytime; there's no need for today.

Besides, you already know pretty much everything about Beishan, so there's nothing much to report. Just watch me get Beishan up and running.”

Pei Yihong smiled, "Not bad, you're quite confident. Then, I'll entrust Beishan to you. You'd better do a good job."

Qi Tongwei nodded. "Don't worry." He then prepared to take his leave from Pei Yihong.

As they reached the door, Pei Yihong seemed to remember something and called out to Qi Tongwei again, "By the way, Tongwei, will you come with me to the capital in a few days?"

Qi Tongwei was taken aback. "Go to the capital?"

"Yes, go to the capital. You're a celebrity in Chinese politics now, it's time to make your mark and plan for the next step."

As the saying goes, if you want a promotion, you have to do more networking and reporting. If you don't report, how will your superiors know about your achievements?

He then made another joke, "So, you'll have to start running too."

This isn't about being opportunistic; it's about letting the organization understand your work approach and achievements. Even gold will get dusty if you always stay cooped up in the mountains.

Qi Tongwei said, "Secretary Pei, I'm a little flattered by what you said." He took two steps back, his tone tinged with self-deprecation, "Go to Beijing? What kind of celebrity am I? I'm just a small mayor who's been working hard in Beishan, guarding my little plot of land."

The mayor of Beishan City is somewhat well-known along the Han River.

But what kind of place is Beijing? You can easily knock down several high-ranking officials by throwing a brick.

"Those leaders from those ministries, those comrades in the central government—who among them knows me?"

Pei Yihong smiled and said, "You're not just some ordinary department-level cadre."

Beishan's automotive industry revitalized several old state-owned enterprises, and its advertising became famous overnight.

Now, thanks to your diversified development, Beishan has stabilized the overall employment situation, and these achievements speak for themselves.

Besides, didn't the old man praise you back then? And Secretary Gu asked me about you a couple of months ago too.

"Just this alone proves you're not an ordinary bureau-level official?"

Qi Tongwei's heart skipped a beat: "Secretary Pei, please don't flatter me."

Even if I want to advance or make progress, it will be towards you, towards the Provincial Party Committee.

With you overseeing things for me, why would I need to worry about these things? I can just focus on handling the Beishan matter well, and I'm sure you and the Provincial Party Committee will not treat me unfairly.

Pei Yihong laughed and scolded, "You brat, stop with the nonsense. You know what I mean."

Am I suggesting you go around worshipping wild Buddhas?

To tell you the truth, regarding your matter last time, Grandpa Zhong spoke up for you quite a bit. A few days ago, he called and specifically asked to see you.

This is a very strong signal. Not many people can catch the eye of Old Master Zhong, and you're the first at the bureau-level.

Qi Tongwei understood what Pei Yihong meant by "looking at the signal".

This is by no means an ordinary label, but a signal that someone has been recruited as a core member.

Once you step into this temple, you'll likely receive many unexpected benefits. Advancement? Too easy.

Seeing that Qi Tongwei remained silent, Pei Yihong assumed that Qi Tongwei had a grudge and was unwilling to be humble, so he said, "You don't usually go out much, but you should still go and get together during the New Year to express your gratitude."

"You'll be my entourage this time. While you're at it, go and see Committee Member Zhong." He then asked, "I heard you also saved Committee Member Zhong's daughter's life, is that true?"

Qi Tongwei nodded and said, "I guess so."

Pei Yihong frowned. "It either exists or it doesn't. What do you mean by 'it exists'?"

Qi Tongwei explained, "Those all happened in Haizhou, where I was the main leader of Jiangchang County at the time."

The incident occurred within my jurisdiction, and since it happened, I should theoretically bear responsibility, so there's no question of who saved whom.

Pei Yihong said, "You can't say that. The objective fact is that you saved her life."

No matter how high a leader we become, we are still essentially still ordinary people; we can get hurt and we can die.

It takes immense courage and determination for you to step forward in such a dangerous moment.

"Alright, I understand. Go back and think it over carefully. I'll have my secretary let you know when we're leaving."

Qi Tongwei paused for a moment, somewhat confused.

It wasn't until I walked out the door and arrived at Zhao Anbang's second villa that I realized what was happening.

He recalled what Pei Yihong had said before—Secretary Gu had asked about him just two months ago.

It seems that Secretary Pei also intends to bring Qi Tongwei into Secretary Gu's camp.

Unexpectedly, he's now a hot commodity.

Without realizing it, the relationship has developed to this point.