The municipal government executive meeting

Lin Yanzhou's car left the Guangming Peak Project Headquarters and headed toward the municipal government.

He leaned back in his seat, resting with his eyes closed, but his mind was racing through calculations.

Ding Yizhen's performance that day had already given him ample grounds for making adjustments. How to make those adjustments, however, required careful consideration: he had to achieve his objective without appearing overly aggressive, particularly in handling his relationship with Municipal Party Secretary Li Dakang.

He picked up his phone and dialed Li Dakang's office directly. The call connected quickly.

"Secretary Dakang," Lin Yanzhou said with just the right degree of respect.

"I've just come back from an inspection at the Guangming Peak Project Headquarters. The situation isn't very promising."

"As commander-in-chief, Comrade Yizhen knows almost nothing about the project's basic circumstances or key figures. Attendance records show he's only visited the site twice this year. With that kind of work performance, it's difficult to ensure the project moves forward smoothly."

At the other end of the line, Li Dakang remained silent as he listened to Lin Yanzhou's report.

"Secretary, to ensure the project's quality, I'm considering adjustments to its leadership structure and the division of responsibilities within the municipal government."

Lin Yanzhou continued, putting forward his proposal. "My idea is to establish a 'Guangming Peak Project Advancement Leading Group' to replace the existing project headquarters."

"I'll personally serve as group leader and oversee the top-level design. We'll establish an office under it, housed at the Development and Reform Commission, with Comrade Wen Zhiyuan serving concurrently as office director, responsible for implementation and execution."

He deliberately paused before bringing up the arrangements for Ding Yizhen. "As for Comrade Yizhen, considering that his current state really does make it difficult for him to juggle his responsibilities, my view is that he should temporarily focus on assisting me with coordination for the Guangming Peak Project. Meanwhile, his specific portfolios, such as land and resources and urban and rural planning, will be reassigned to other vice mayors."

"For instance, Vice Mayor Zhao Fuwang could take over some of them."

Lin Yanzhou's proposal was highly skillful. He stripped Ding Yizhen of his most substantial powers but transferred some of that authority to Vice Mayor Zhao, another of Li Dakang's trusted aides. This was both a gesture of respect and a compromise toward Li Dakang, while also avoiding the impression that he was "keeping the whole feast to himself." It allowed Li Dakang to feel that the balance had not been completely upset, preventing strong resistance.

Li Dakang pondered for a moment at the other end of the line.

He was equally dissatisfied with Ding Yizhen's performance that day, and Lin Yanzhou had ample justification for the adjustments. Moreover, Lin Yanzhou's initiative in proposing that Vice Mayor Zhao take on additional responsibilities had given him face.

"Mm," Li Dakang finally said. "Moving the project forward comes first. Since Comrade Yizhen lacks the energy, adjustments to the division of responsibilities are necessary. Follow your approach and put it before the municipal government executive meeting for discussion. I agree in principle."

"All right, Secretary. Thank you for your support." Lin Yanzhou hung up. His first move had gone through.

Without pausing, he immediately made a second call, this time to Liu Changhe.

"Governor Liu, I hope I'm not disturbing you? I'd like to report on the Guangming Peak Project's progress and a few personnel considerations." Lin Yanzhou's tone was even more respectful than before.

He briefly explained the problems facing the project and the necessity of making adjustments, then presented a choice. "Governor, I have two preliminary ideas about who should actually steer the project, and I'd like your guidance. One is to put Comrade Wen Zhiyuan primarily in charge; he's very capable. The other, given the importance of the Guangming Peak Project, is whether someone from the provincial government's side-for instance, your former secretary, Governor Changhe, our city's Executive Vice Mayor Wu Qinghua-could take the lead? That would better demonstrate the importance the city attaches to the project, and it's time we added a little more weight to Comrade Wu Qinghua's shoulders."

"If he takes charge of the project, Wen Zhiyuan can take over some of the other departments under Ding Yizhen."

This was a very clever "offering of tribute." He presented control of the project or oversight of important departments as options for Governor Liu to choose between.

Whichever Governor Liu chose, it meant Lin Yanzhou would temporarily take control of the Jingzhou City Government while helping him consolidate his influence within it. Moreover, Wu Qinghua had previously been Liu Changhe's secretary, making this a voluntary binding of their political interests.

Governor Liu was clearly very pleased with Lin Yanzhou's attitude.

After a brief moment's thought, he made his choice. "Yanzhou, you've thought this through very thoroughly. Guangming Peak is a major project on the province's radar. Having Executive Vice Mayor Wu Qinghua personally oversee it is entirely proper and shows even greater commitment. Proceed along those lines. I'll speak with Comrade Wu Qinghua."

"Yes, Governor! Understood. I'll be sure to work closely with Comrade Wu Qinghua and manage the project properly!" Lin Yanzhou immediately stated his position.

Setting down his phone, Lin Yanzhou let out a long breath.

Two calls had both steadied Li Dakang and secured Governor Liu's explicit support, while also bringing Executive Vice Mayor Wu Qinghua over to his side to deal with Ding Yizhen together.

The pieces were in place. Now he could go and convene the meeting that was destined to change the balance of power.

His car came to a smooth stop outside the municipal government building at just that moment.

He hurried toward the municipal government's executive conference room, taking the steps two at a time. All the vice mayors and the secretary-general were already present.

As Lin Yanzhou entered the meeting room, everyone rose and nodded to him in greeting.

Lin Yanzhou motioned for everyone to sit down and took the head seat. Without any opening remarks, he announced the start of the meeting and put forward the agenda.

"I've called this meeting at short notice for just one item: in light of current work requirements, we'll optimize and adjust certain responsibilities within the municipal government's leadership team."

His gaze swept over Ding Yizhen's ashen face as he continued, "Recent inspections and investigations into several key areas of work have revealed problems in certain fields: work is not being done in earnest, accountability has become hollow, and progress has been inadequate."

"The Guangming Peak Project in particular is the municipal Party committee and municipal government's number-one undertaking. Its importance goes without saying. Yet the current functioning of the project headquarters is deeply worrying! If the commander-in-chief doesn't understand the situation and never gets down to the front line, how can we ensure high-quality progress?"

Although he named no names, everyone knew whom the spearhead was aimed at.

"To ensure government directives are carried out unimpeded, firmly establish accountability, and improve administrative efficiency, after reporting to Governor Changhe and Secretary Dakang-"

"I propose adjusting the Guangming Peak Project's leadership structure. Instead of having a single commander-in-chief, we'll establish the 'Guangming Peak Project Advancement Leading Group,' with me serving as group leader, responsible for top-level design and overall coordination."

"Comrade Qinghua will serve as executive deputy group leader, responsible for the project's day-to-day work. Comrade Yizhen will serve as deputy group leader, assisting Comrade Qinghua and me with the project."

"The leading group will have an office attached to the municipal Development and Reform Commission, responsible for day-to-day coordination and implementation. Comrade Wen Zhiyuan will concurrently serve as office director."

Those words effectively kicked Ding Yizhen straight out of the Guangming Peak Project's core decision-making and executive ranks.

Ding Yizhen jerked his head up and opened his mouth to say something, but under Lin Yanzhou's icy gaze, he ultimately failed to make a sound.

"Furthermore," Lin Yanzhou continued, "given Comrade Yizhen's genuinely heavy workload, to further lighten his burden and allow him to concentrate on the project-"

"His portfolios of land and resources, state-owned asset management, finance, and government financing platforms will be placed under Comrade Wen Zhiyuan."

"Major project investment, regional cooperation, development and reform, supervision, and human resources and social security will be placed under Comrade Qinghua."

"Legal affairs, letters and visits, and taxation will be placed under Comrade Fuwang."

"As for the remaining departments, each of you can take one or two and help share Comrade Yizhen's burden. This way, Comrade Yizhen can focus his energy on assisting Comrade Qinghua in advancing the project."

Once Lin Yanzhou finished, Vice Mayor Zheng Guang immediately picked up the thread at Wu Qinghua's signal. "Since the mayor has spoken, I can hardly defy the organization's orders. I'll take over the Government Services Center and the Municipal Price Bureau from Vice Mayor Ding."

The moment he said this, the other six vice mayors scrambled to follow suit. In an instant, Vice Mayor Ding, who was not the executive vice mayor yet had overseen more work than the executive vice mayor, was left with only his standing committee membership and vice mayor title, without any actual power in the municipal government.

What appeared to be "lightening his burden" completely stripped Ding Yizhen's power out of the municipal government.

Lin Yanzhou looked around the room. "Does anyone have any objections to this adjustment of responsibilities?"

The conference room was silent. Everyone had received a share of the rain and dew, so who could object? Besides, the second- and fourth-in-command had gained the most, and the top leader had made the proposal. At this moment, Ding Yizhen had gone straight from nominal third-in-command and actual second-in-command to the very bottom. Fortunately for him, he still had his standing committee title.

Beyond that, this was also Mayor Lin's first executive meeting. Ding Yizhen had indeed been seriously derelict in his duties on the Guangming Peak Project, and adjusting responsibilities fell within the mayor's authority.

At this point, there was even less chance of anyone daring to speak up for Ding Yizhen.

"Good. Since there are no objections, it's settled." Lin Yanzhou brought down the hammer. "The General Office is to issue the document adjusting responsibilities as soon as possible, in accordance with this meeting's resolution. Meeting adjourned!"

The meeting ended, and everyone left in silence. Ding Yizhen was the last to leave, his steps faltering, as though he had aged ten years in an instant.

He knew that, from this moment onward, the countdown had begun on his life of power in Jingzhou.