Li Dakang and Lin Yanzhou Report to Sha Ruijin

He ran through the possibilities again and again in his mind. Where should he begin to break the deadlock in Handong? With the force of thunder, or with gentle breezes and fine rain?

He was also waiting-waiting for Gao Yuliang's response.

Tian Guofu and He Shouyi had both come to report on their work. Only Gao Yuliang, who worked in the same building as him, remained nowhere to be seen despite being so close at hand.

He would leave the province tomorrow on a fact-finding trip. This was the last opportunity to report on work, and, more importantly, a crucial moment to make one's political stance clear.

He had already instructed He Shouyi to convey explicitly his decision to have Gao Yuliang oversee day-to-day affairs. It was both a show of trust and a test.

If Gao came, it would mean there was still room for cooperation. They could discuss terms; they might yet weather the storm in the same boat.

If he did not, it would mean he was determined to live and die with that old ship, Zhao Lichun, drawing a definitive line between them.

Then he, Sha Ruijin, would know where to place his next piece.

"Knock, knock, knock-" His secretary Bai Yi's knocking interrupted his thoughts.

"Sir, Secretary Li Dakang of the Jingzhou Municipal Party Committee called. He and Mayor Lin Yanzhou would like to give you a dedicated briefing on the Guangming Peak Project. They asked whether this would be convenient for you."

A flicker of surprise crossed Sha Ruijin's eyes before they instantly returned to calm.

"Ask them to come over now."

Watching Secretary Bai leave, he could not help feeling puzzled.

Li Dakang and Lin Yanzhou were both men whose methods could be called domineering, and they belonged to different camps. Since when had they become able to piss into the same pot?

Li Dakang had served as Zhao Lichun's secretary, and the "Secretaries' Faction" under Zhao had deep roots and spreading branches in Handong. Lin Yanzhou, meanwhile, was a core member of the academic faction, with a formidable background of his own-a maker of rules rather than a challenger.

His original plan had been to support Lin Yanzhou as a counterweight to Li Dakang. Never had he imagined that these two would join forces first and come to him of their own accord. This completely disrupted the tempo he had envisioned.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere inside the Jingzhou Municipal Party Secretary's office was equally delicate.

Li Dakang put down the phone, his brows tightly knitted, and looked once more at the perfectly composed Lin Yanzhou.

"Yanzhou, are we being too hasty? Taking the initiative to report to Secretary Sha at such a sensitive time is bound to invite speculation."

Lin Yanzhou unhurriedly stubbed out the cigarette in his hand.

"Secretary, the provincial Party secretary's post stood vacant for so long before the dust finally settled. Do you really think it was simply a question of choosing a candidate?"

"It was merely the result of all sides weighing their interests," Li Dakang replied.

"Comrade Sha Ruijin's appointment and mine were decided at the same central leadership meeting, personally proposed by the core leader."

Lin Yanzhou leaned forward slightly. "More importantly, he has an extensive background in auditing. Secretary, you should understand better than I do what it means when someone with an auditing background is sent down."

Li Dakang's heart tightened, and he said nothing.

Lin Yanzhou continued to lay it bare. "Do you still think Comrade Lichun has room to maneuver? Are you counting on the people down south to go all out for him?"

"That southern family still has some old ties at the top. With their in-law moving up, surely they can't refuse to help at all?" Li Dakang argued, though his tone was no longer as firm as before.

"Secretary, twenty years ago, when their old patriarch was still alive, perhaps they could have. But now, their family has only one person left in Lingyan Pavilion. The others rank no higher than provincial governor. How precious must their resources be? At Secretary Lichun's age, even if they pulled every string, he would reach the end of the line after serving one full term."

"Would that southern family make such a losing bargain, spending resources that precious on a position whose holder must retire in five years? Doesn't their own second generation want to take another step up?"

Li Dakang was instantly at a loss for words. Zhao Lichun and Zhao Ruilong had indeed hinted to him that the people over there were actively pulling strings, that the future was not yet settled, and that he should wait patiently.

Now that Lin Yanzhou had laid it bare, he could not help wavering.

Watching Li Dakang's expression, Lin Yanzhou delivered the final blow, his tone as decisive as severing nails and cutting iron.

"According to the information I've received, within a fortnight, Comrade Lichun will report to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference-not as a vice chairman or a standing committee member, but as 'deputy director of the Committee on Population, Resources and Environment.'"

"The higher-ups have already decided."

Those words exploded like a thunderclap inside Li Dakang's head.

He might not readily believe rumors, but he would never doubt the authority of Lin Yanzhou's sources. The power and rank they represented were far beyond his reach.

In an instant, every last hope of a lucky escape was utterly shattered. Li Dakang sprang to his feet, his earlier hesitation swept away, his tone turning decisive and urgent:

"Comrade Yanzhou, let's leave immediately and report to Secretary Ruijin!"