Chen Hai's Unauthorized Operation Was Blocked

The Handong Provincial Party Committee building blazed with lights in the night, a stark contrast to the quiet streets. An emergency meeting that would determine the course of many people's lives was about to convene there.

On his way back to the General Anti-Corruption Bureau, Hou Liangping could not calm his thoughts.

The confession Zhao Dehan had finally made upon breaking down was like a boulder hurled into a still lake, stirring towering waves in his heart.

Ding Yizhen! He had to be brought under control immediately! Although Hou had yet to conduct a proper interrogation of Zhao Dehan, his desire to claim credit had already overcome his reason.

Without hesitation, he picked up his phone and called his friend far away in Handong Province, Chen Hai, director of the provincial procuratorate's Anti-Corruption Bureau.

"Chen Hai! It's me, Hou Liangping!"

"Liangping? Something urgent this late?" On the other end, Chen Hai's voice carried a trace of the hoarseness of someone just woken from sleep, but even more alertness.

"Listen! I've made a major breakthrough here in Yanjing in the case of Zhao Dehan, a ministry project division chief. He explicitly named Ding Yizhen, a member of the Jingzhou Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee, deputy mayor, and Guangming District Party secretary, as one of the principal bribe-givers. Six payments in all, totaling 15,326,000 yuan! The evidence is conclusive! Get your people together immediately and arrest Ding Yizhen right now! Be quick, before he catches wind of it and runs!"

Chen Hai's sleepiness vanished instantly. He sat bolt upright in bed, his tone turning utterly serious. "Deputy Mayor Ding Yizhen? Liangping, are you sure?"

"One hundred percent! Zhao Dehan confessed it himself, and it matches some of the evidence we already have!"

Chen Hai drew a deep breath and analyzed the situation quickly and calmly. "Liangping, Ding Yizhen is a full department-level official under provincial management. Arresting him requires all the proper legal paperwork. More importantly, we must report to the Provincial Party Committee and obtain its approval. Do you currently have a formal arrest warrant or an official request for investigative assistance from the Supreme People's Procuratorate?"

Hou Liangping froze. He had been so focused on racing against time that the formal interrogation had not even begun, so how could he possibly have the paperwork? But years of handling cases in violation of procedure had accustomed him to supplying all the paperwork afterward.

"The paperwork is still going through the process. I'll notify the bureau shortly to expedite it, but even at the earliest, the fax won't reach Handong until tomorrow morning! This is an emergency, though. There's not a moment to lose! Get him under control first, and we'll supply the paperwork afterward!"

Chen Hai fell silent on the other end for several seconds. He knew full well that Hou Liangping would not joke about something like this, and he understood that an opportunity could vanish in an instant.

But the situation in Handong was far more complicated than Hou Liangping imagined from his position at the Supreme People's Procuratorate. This meant bypassing procedure to arrest a deputy mayor with real power, and everyone knew this deputy mayor was the embodiment of Li Dakang, a member of the Handong Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee and Jingzhou Municipal Party secretary. Li Dakang was also rumored to be next in line for governor of Handong Province.

He did not know whether Li Dakang was implicated. If Li Dakang were involved, the resulting political earthquake would be impossible to measure. It might even stir the grass and startle the snake, allowing the real big fish behind the scenes to slip the hook.

"Liangping, I understand how you feel. But we can't break the rules. Here's what I'll do: I'll report to Chief Procurator Ji Changming immediately and ask him to decide. Hurry and send the paperwork over from your end, too!"

Hou Liangping grew anxious. He had a bad premonition, fearing that someone listed in Zhao Dehan's ledger would intervene and bring the case to a hasty close, so he could no longer concern himself with much else.

"Chen Hai, in the name of the Supreme People's Procuratorate's Anti-Corruption Bureau, I order you to make the arrest immediately. I'll fly over tonight."

Hearing Hou Liangping's grave tone, and considering his background, Chen Hai hesitated no further after hanging up. He immediately called Lu Yike, chief of Investigation Division One of the provincial procuratorate's Anti-Corruption Bureau.

"Notify everyone in Division One to assemble at the bureau in half an hour. We have an important assignment."

Half an hour later, Chen Hai arrived at the Anti-Corruption Bureau and led the team out without a word. Everyone looked utterly bewildered, but he did not want to explain too much now, for fear of a leak.

When Chen Hai finished calling to assemble all of Investigation Division One, Ji Changming, chief procurator of the Handong Province Procuratorate, received a call. After hearing the report, all his sleepiness vanished, and tempestuous waves likewise rose in his heart.

"You did the right thing! Procedure must be followed! Keep an eye on Chen Hai for now, and remember, you mustn't let him notice. Keep me informed of your whereabouts."

Ding Yizhen was involved in a bribery case involving such an enormous sum? He immediately recognized the gravity and sensitivity of the matter.

What angered him even more was Chen Hai's disregard for organization and discipline. He had no respect whatsoever for Ji as the Party organization at the Handong Procuratorate. While working at the Handong Procuratorate, Ji had already been deeply dissatisfied with the conduct of Chen Hai's father, Chen Yanshi. After retiring, Chen Yanshi had even set up a "Handong Province Second Procuratorate" in his nursing home, putting the Handong Province Procuratorate over the fire to roast.

Considering his approaching retirement, and the fact that Chen Yanshi was a veteran revolutionary, he had not bothered to stoop to his level. The son would have to bear the father's faults. It was with the support of Chen Yanshi's vast political resources that Chen Hai had reached the deputy department-level position of Anti-Corruption Bureau director.

The anti-corruption bureaus in several neighboring provinces all had higher-ranked heads, with a deputy chief procurator or a Party leadership group member concurrently serving as bureau director at full department level. This discrepancy was also deliberate on Ji Changming's part. Chen Hai was already refusing to follow orders while still at deputy department level. If promoted to deputy chief procurator or Party leadership group member, he would join the highest leadership of Handong's procuratorial system, and Ji Changming would be completely unable to keep him in check.

This had made Handong Province's political and legal system a laughingstock among its sister provinces. Only in Handong did the provincial public security department director not hold deputy provincial rank and the provincial Anti-Corruption Bureau director not hold full department rank. Every joint investigation and ministry meeting left Handong's political and legal officials feeling a notch below the others despite themselves.

This was particularly pronounced for Qi Tongwei. During joint public security investigations, the surrounding provinces all assigned executive deputy department-level officials to liaise with him, which had made him obsessive about advancement.

Ji Changming put down the phone, picked up the plain water on his bedside table, and took a sip, trying to calm himself as quickly as possible.

Provincial Party Secretary Sha Ruijin had left early that morning on an inspection trip to Yantai City and was not in Jingzhou at present. Deputy Provincial Party Secretary and Political and Legal Affairs Commission Secretary Gao Yuliang was overseeing work in the province.

Without hesitation, he called Secretary Gao Yuliang's home directly.

Gao Yuliang was just about to finish his conversation with Qi Tongwei and turn in for the night. He was a little surprised to see Ji Changming's call, but he knew a call at this hour meant something had happened.

His voice remained steady, without the slightest ripple. "Comrade Changming, what's so urgent?"

"Secretary Yuliang, I'm very sorry to disturb you so late. Comrade Hou Liangping of the Supreme People's Procuratorate's General Anti-Corruption Bureau has just informed Comrade Chen Hai, director of our provincial Anti-Corruption Bureau, that Ding Yizhen, a member of the Jingzhou Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee and deputy mayor, is suspected of serious disciplinary violations. He requested that our provincial procuratorate arrest him immediately." In the most concise terms, Ji Changming reported that Zhao Dehan had implicated Ding Yizhen and that Hou Liangping had demanded an immediate arrest.

A brief silence fell on the other end. Gao Yuliang's brows knitted tightly, his fingers tapping continuously on the desk. Ding Yizhen. The murky waters of the Guangming Peak Project were indeed beginning to churn.

"I understand the situation," Gao Yuliang said, his voice still even.

"Comrade Changming, bring Chen Hai to the Provincial Party Committee conference room immediately. I'll notify Comrade Dakang and Comrade Lin Yanzhou to come as well. Director Qi Tongwei of the Public Security Department happens to be here reporting on his work, so he'll attend too. We'll hold an emergency meeting to discuss this."

"Yes, Secretary Yuliang. We'll be right there!"

As soon as he hung up, his secretary called. He did not answer, heading straight downstairs and into his car.

All he wanted now was to block Chen Hai and the others at the procuratorate gates as quickly as possible. He certainly did not want trouble in his twilight years.

As Chen Hai and the others drove out of the Handong Province Procuratorate, Ji Changming's official car stopped at the gates, blocking their way.

Chen Hai recognized Ji Changming's official car at a glance. He hurried out of his vehicle and jogged all the way to the rear window behind the driver's seat.

Ji Changming lowered the window and looked at Chen Hai. "Do you have any respect left for me as chief procurator?"

Chen Hai was just about to explain when Ji Changming spoke again. "Get in. Secretary Gao of the Provincial Party Committee is waiting for our report."