Reborn as a Noble's Son

After a pause, Huang Jiang continued: “Furthermore, with Chen Le, the mayor’s confidant, in charge of the Public Security Bureau, it is only a matter of time. Rather than fighting to the end and gaining nothing, it would be better to go with the flow and lend a helping hand. At least, I can gain some favor here.”

Liu Qinghe, who wasn’t new to the role of secretary, understood Huang Jiang’s point as soon as it was mentioned. He continued the conversation and said, “Secretary, now I understand. However, does Mayor Nie have the power and ability to challenge Secretary Fan and Mayor Li Guohua?”

At this moment, a profound and inscrutable smile appeared on Huang Jiang’s face. If he was worried before, but now, in view of the re-division of tasks within the city government, Huang Jiang felt full of confidence in Nie Zhenbang. By suppressing Li Guohua, he was able to gain a win-win situation. Consequently, other leaders within the city government naturally leaned towards Nie Zhenbang. This strategy of coercion and absorption is not like anything an ordinary person can execute. Especially when Nie Zhenbang dares to do this without removing the placeholder, it must be a calculated move. On a deeper level, Nie Zhenbang is holding the winning ace.

It is only a five-stop bus distance from the city government to the Public Security Bureau. This short distance, for a motorcade, only takes a blink of an eye.

The motorcade streamed in and drove grandly through the gate of the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau. At this moment, the leaders of the bureau, led by Chen Le, the party committee secretary and director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, were all present and standing at the entrance.

At the forefront was naturally Chen Le, next to him, a man in his fifties, Ouyang Changqing, the political commissar of the Public Security Bureau, followed by the five deputy directors of the Municipal Public Security Bureau.

Liangxi City is a big, strong economy city, and it is normal for the Municipal Public Security Bureau to have five deputy directors.

As an old subordinate loyal to Nie Zhenbang, Chen Le was very clear about Nie Zhenbang’s style. No matter where he inspected, Nie Zhenbang has always disliked making a spectacle. If everyone in the bureau was gathered, it would probably provoke a scolding from Nie Zhenbang.

At this moment, this welcoming ceremony was very apt. The bureau leaders were all present, dignified without causing too much commotion, and wouldn’t give people the feeling of disrupting their work.

As soon as he got out of the car, Nie Zhenbang saw Chen Le and others standing at the door and revealed a slight smile on his face. It seemed that his old subordinates understood him well.

As Nie Zhenbang, Huang Jiang, and Jin Aihua got out of the car one after another, Chen Le and Ouyang Changqing also came to greet them. With a standard salute, Chen Le said in a powerful tone: “Mayor, Secretary Huang, Mayor Jin, welcome to our bureau for inspection and guidance.”

Jin Aihua, new to the position overseeing police and legal affairs, was not familiar with this area. He merely nodded in acknowledgement as a greeting. At this moment, Huang Jiang smiled and said, “Director Chen, we are, in fact, schoolmates. However, you are an authentic graduate of the Huaxia Police University. I come from a different path, having completed a correspondence bachelor’s degree at the Police University in the 1980s. I should call you ‘junior’. From now on, we will rely on you to support our municipal public security system.”

Huang Jiang’s words expressed a blatant attempt to curry favor. Of course, he was not trying to win over Chen Le, but Nie Zhenbang. This was clear to Nie Zhenbang, Chen Le, and Jin Aihua. Huang Jiang’s words served to support Chen Le. With Huang Jiang’s full support, it would greatly help Chen Le to clean up the system within the Public Security Bureau.

Nie Zhenbang glanced around and saw that two of the people in the crowd looked quite unhappy, one was Guo Zhenbao, and the other was Luo Jiahua. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang gained some understanding. These two were likely part of Li Guohua’s circle. A standing deputy director and a deputy director in charge of finances and logistics. Li Guohua’s methods were indeed extraordinary. If it were not for someone like Chen Le, anyone else would have to stand in awe of these two.

Then, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, “Secretary Huang, Director Chen. Let’s not block the traffic at the entrance any longer. Let’s go to the conference room to listen to the work report from the comrades of the Public Security Bureau.”

Naturally, no one would refute Nie Zhenbang’s proposal. One by one, they filed into the Public Security Bureau office building. At this moment, despite it being daytime, the lights were fully lit in the large conference room located on the ninth floor of the office building.

The entire Public Security Bureau office building consisted of ten floors, with the “110” command center of Liangxi City located at the very top. The eighth floor housed the offices of various Bureau leaders, while the entirety of the ninth floor was arranged as meeting rooms, both large and small.

At this moment, Nie Zhenbang took his place in the seat of honor in the center. Huang Jiang and Liu Weijun sat to his left while Jin Aihua and Yi Jun sat on his right. Although Yi Jun also served as Nie Zhenbang’s personal secretary, he was nevertheless the Deputy Secretary-General of the Municipal Government. When accompanying leaders on inspections, he was also considered as municipal leadership.

On the sides, the leaders of the Public Security Bureau took their seats. After surveying everyone present, Nie Zhenbang raised his hand and signaled, “Director Chen, you are the headmaster of the Public Security Bureau. Why don’t you personally report on the Bureau’s work?”

Given that he was there to lend Chen Le his support, Nie Zhenbang was rather straightforward in his objectives and stance. Throughout the inspection, he constantly highlighted Chen Le’s unique qualities, making it clear to everyone within the citywide public security system that Director Chen has an impressive background. This was a tremendous help to Chen Le’s control over the public security system.

Hearing Nie Zhenbang’s words, Chen Le nodded and in a deep voice said, “Mayor Nie, Secretary Huang, Mayor Jin, and all leaders and comrades, in response to the current economic development, and to the work of public security under new circumstances, we, at the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau, heeding the spirit of Secretary Dong’s speech at the end of last year, took the lead across the province, and even the nation, in implementing five prohibitions within the Liangxi City public security system. Since the prohibitions were put in place, a total of thirteen cases of disciplinary violations within public security have been uncovered, and 26 accountable individuals have been penalized. The overall discipline of our public security officers has greatly improved.

Simultaneously, we have added equipment and vehicles, and pioneered the establishment of the ‘110’ command center within the national public security system. We have worked to ensure unified police dispatch and allocation. Within the city public security system, we have set hard indicators, striving to have police on the scene within five minutes in urban areas, and within ten minutes in suburban and rural areas. The city’s public security environment has significantly improved…”

The series of measures surprised even Nie Zhenbang. Chen Le proved to be quite an extraordinary character when it came to public security work, introducing many groundbreaking initiatives.

In the end, Chen Le concluded, “We are grateful to the Municipal Party Committee, the municipal government, Mayor Nie, Secretary Huang, and other municipal leaders for their care and support for our public security work. On behalf of all personnel within the Liangxi City public security front, I promise our leaders that we have both the confidence and the determination to ensure peace and promote development.”

As soon as Chen Le finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang was the first to applaud. Since the Mayor had applauded, naturally, others wouldn’t withhold their clapping. Besides, it wouldn’t do to be the only one not clapping when even the mayor applauded. That would be like stepping on one’s own foot or directly defying the mayor.

After a round of applause, Nie Zhenbang raised his hands and pressed down a bit, and the hall immediately quieted down. Everyone knew that the Mayor was about to speak.

Nie Zhenbang contemplated for a moment before he spoke, “After listening to the comrades from the Municipal Public Security Bureau’s report, I feel very happy and reassured. Liangxi City is a strong economic city in Jiangbei Province. Nationally, it is ranked among the top three prefecture-level cities. This is an honor for Liangxi City and for all of you present here. In the current new economic environment and situation, how to maintain the purity and integrity of the public security system is an issue that everyone here, as well as the Municipal Party Committee and municipal government need to consider.”

After a pause, Nie Zhenbang’s gaze swept over Guo Zhenbao, the executive deputy director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, and deputy director Luo Jiahua, before continuing, “Under the premise of the current thriving economy, preventing corruption, maintaining the integrity and self-discipline of the public security team, preventing collusion between police and criminals, these are all issues that we need to seriously consider. Harmonious relations between the police and the people are also something we must achieve.”

At present, the people of Liangxi City still have concerns about the city’s public security environment. Many residents believe that theft is still a serious issue. This is a difficult problem that baffles police officers nationwide. Although the crackdown has curbed this trend to some extent, it is not enough. In my opinion, it is necessary for the Liangxi City public security system to carry out another such crackdown to deter crime and enhance the sense of security among the people, thereby making a due contribution to our city’s economic construction.

Having said this, Nie Zhenbang changed his tone, concluding, “Comrade Chen Le, a nationally outstanding police officer and excellent grassroots cadre from the Xibei Autonomous Region public security system, is top-notch in terms of ideological awareness and work ability. I hope that the leadership team of the Municipal Public Security Bureau can rally closely around Comrade Chen Le and unite as a team, so they can make their own contribution to the economic construction and development of Liangxi City, and to the public security and law enforcement work in Liangxi City.”

Nie Zhenbang’s concluding remarks were squarely aimed at rallying support for Chen Le. Upon hearing this, the facial expressions of the several deputy directors varied. Some appeared contemplative while Guo Zhenbao, the executive deputy director, and Deputy Director Luo Jiahua seemed quite unhappy. The current situation was clear, Chen Le’s control over the Public Security Bureau was now unstoppable. (