Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 228 Lin Xue is coming

"No!" Just then, Wu Zhiyuan shouted and rushed to Li Lamei, snatching the pesticide bottle away.

Seeing that Li Lamei had actually taken the medicine, Zhang Ping was also very nervous. If someone were to die, it would be a very troublesome situation.

Seeing Wu Zhiyuan snatch the pesticide bottle, he immediately regained his tough stance: "Secretary Wu, look at this, what kind of talk is this!"

We can't give this kind of troublemaker a friendly look!

"Let me die! It's better to die! Anyway, no one is allowed to live..." Li Lamei cried out.

"She really drank it! Quick! Get her to the hospital! Get her to the emergency room!" Wu Zhiyuan roared.

Sun Dewang and two town officials quickly stepped forward to help and called for a car to come over.

Li Lamei must be taken to the hospital immediately!

Wu Zhiyuan, Sun Dewang, and others lifted Li Lamei onto a van.

Wu Zhiyuan asked Sun Dewang to go to the town hospital with him.

The bread truck sped away.

Wu Zhiyuan glanced at the several town officials who were watching, and finally his gaze fell on Zhang Ping's face. He loudly questioned, "Mayor Zhang, is this how you handle problems?"

Is this how our cadres treat the masses?

Zhang Ping argued, "Secretary Wu, you've just arrived and don't know the situation."

This Li Lamei is a shrew! She's being completely unreasonable!

We've tried everything to reason with her and do all the right things we can, but she just won't listen!

"What happened today was her own doing, what does it have to do with us..."

"Enough!" Wu Zhiyuan abruptly interrupted him. "Comrade Zhang Ping! I don't want to hear your explanations about whether she's a shrew or being unreasonable!"

All I saw was a resident sitting in front of the town government building, holding a bottle of pesticide, because his house had been forcibly demolished and his compensation issue had not been resolved!

Instead of trying to solve the problem, our town mayor publicly berated her as a "holdout," a "difficult resident," and a "troublemaker," even saying things like, "Don't push your luck!"

Our other cadres just stood by and watched, treating it as a spectacle!

This is a serious dereliction of duty! It is a disregard for the lives of the people!

The work methods are simplistic, crude, and even potentially illegal!

Wu Zhiyuan became more and more agitated as he spoke, pointing to the pesticide bottle on the ground: "If I weren't here today, if no one had taken that bottle away, Li Lamei would have died here!"

Mayor Zhang, when the time comes, will you be able to shirk all responsibility by simply saying "she couldn't think straight"?

What's the point of your so-called "big picture" and "development" if it comes at the cost of driving people to their deaths?

"Don't you feel hot-tempered holding onto such achievements?"

Zhang Ping's face turned red and white as Wu Zhiyuan retorted, and he was at a loss for words: "Secretary Wu, you are making a mountain out of a molehill!"

You know how difficult it is to work at the grassroots level!

It's all for work, for development!

"For work? For development?" Wu Zhiyuan sneered. "Mayor Zhang, what kind of work requires us to forcibly demolish people's houses when they are not at home?"

What kind of development necessitates our illegal land grabbing and forced demolition?

What kind of working methods can make our cadres so indifferent to the life and death of the masses?

Don't use the difficulty of grassroots work as an excuse!

It's difficult to do, so we must pay more attention to the methods and keep the interests of the people in mind and above all else!

Instead of what you do, constantly labeling people as "holdouts," "troublemakers," or "problem residents"!

We are Party cadres, not officials from the old society!

Zhang Ping tossed out a sentence and stormed off: "Fine, fine! You're so conscientious and have the people on your mind! You handle this! Let's see how you deal with it!"

Wu Zhiyuan then harshly criticized the town officials who were watching the commotion: "Our officials stood by and watched, indifferent and apathetic. Is this how we treat the people?"

One official defended himself, saying, "Who knew she was serious? Nothing had happened before; she was just putting on a show, using this as an excuse to threaten us..."

Wu Zhiyuan interrupted him: "Performance? We are state cadres, public servants of the people!"

The crowd sat in front of the government building, holding pesticide bottles in their hands. What does this represent?

It means she has reached a dead end, it means she is using her life to express her demands!

Isn't this enough to raise our vigilance and concern?

You were all thinking she was putting on an act! That she was there to threaten us!

What kind of logic is this! What kind of stance is this!

Wu Zhiyuan softened his tone and became earnest: "Comrades, ask yourselves honestly, if it were your parents or sisters sitting on the ground, would you still think this is a performance? Would you still stand by and watch the show as if nothing happened?"

Put yourself in their shoes! If our work leads the public to believe that only such extreme methods can attract attention and offer even a sliver of hope, then we have failed! We are disgraced!

The scene was completely silent. The officials watching felt ashamed and kept their heads down, not daring to utter a single word.

"I'm telling you, and I ask you to pass this on to other comrades," Wu Zhiyuan raised his voice, "From today onwards, in Xindian Town, I don't want to see any more people resorting to suicide because of our inadequate work or improper methods!"

Anyone who treats the people's petitions as trouble, treats their cries of pain as a performance, and remains indifferent to the safety of the people, is not fit to sit here and work!

I will investigate this matter thoroughly, and those who need to be held accountable will be held accountable, and those who need to be dealt with will be dealt with accordingly!

Now, everyone disperse, go do whatever you were doing!

The crowd dispersed.

Wu Zhiyuan knew that reprimands alone could not solve the fundamental problem, but today's wake-up call was also a warning to some people.

The town hospital is not far from the town government, less than one kilometer away.

Wu Zhiyuan got on his motorcycle.

Outside the emergency room, Sun Dewang was pacing back and forth in the corridor.

Upon seeing Wu Zhiyuan arrive, Sun Dewang hurriedly came to greet him.

"How is it?" Wu Zhiyuan asked anxiously.

"The vital signs are stable, there should be no danger to life, and they are currently receiving an enema and gastric lavage."

The doctor initially determined that the ingestion amount was not large, and the patient was brought to the hospital promptly. However, organophosphate pesticides are highly toxic, and close monitoring is needed to see if any vital organs, especially the respiratory and nervous systems, have been damaged.

Wu Zhiyuan's expression was grave: "Do everything you can to save her, at all costs!"

After a while, a series of urgent cries and footsteps came from the other end of the corridor.

"Mom! Mom, where are you?!"

"You drove my mother to her death! I'll fight you to the death!"

"Damn it! Give me back my daughter!"

"Winter plum blossoms, my daughter..."

Seven or eight men and women came over, crying and shouting.

The person leading the group was an elderly woman in her seventies, being supported by a young man in his twenties.

Several people followed behind, men and women, young and old, all with grief and indignation on their faces.

"You officials! You've lost your conscience!" The old woman saw Sun Dewang and several familiar town officials at a glance, and immediately started wailing and tried to rush over, but was held back by the people around her.

She collapsed to the ground, slapping her thighs, and cried her heart out: "My winter plum... how could you be so foolish!"

"The house is gone, that's all, but what if the person is gone...?"

"What right do you have to demolish my house! What right do you have!" Li Lamei's son rushed up to Wu Zhiyuan, his anger blazing. "If anything happens to my mother, I'll take you all down with me! Don't think you're so great just because you're an official!"

"Yes! Compensate for the house! Compensate for the people!" "There's no law anymore!" Other family members also shouted, the crowd was indignant, and the scene was chaotic.

Sun Dewang stood in front of Wu Zhiyuan and shouted, "Everyone, calm down! Calm down!"

This is a hospital; someone is being resuscitated! Don't disturb the doctors!

"Rescue? My mother was forced into this by you! What are you pretending to be a good person for!" Li Lamei's son roared.

Wu Zhiyuan pulled Sun Dewang aside and stood in front of Li Jianjun: "You must be Sister Li's son, right? My name is Wu Zhiyuan, and I am the Party Secretary of Xindian Town."

"Secretary? Does being a secretary give you the right to forcibly demolish houses and drive people to their deaths?" Li Jianjun clenched his fists, wanting to hit someone, but ultimately held back.

"No!" Wu Zhiyuan answered decisively, "No one has the right to forcibly demolish a house and drive someone to their death!"

If such a thing truly happened, it is a crime, a serious mistake, and must be severely punished!

He paused, his gaze sweeping over each family member, and said sincerely, "First of all, on behalf of the town's Party committee and government, I would like to express my deepest apologies to you, and also to Sister Li who is being rescued inside."

The fact that your house was demolished and the compensation issue was not resolved led Ms. Li to take such an extreme step, which is a serious mistake on our part.

As the Party Secretary, I bear undeniable responsibility. I apologize to you all!

This action stunned everyone present.

When had they ever seen town officials, especially the top leader, apologize so solemnly to an ordinary citizen, especially the family of a "holdout"?

"What's the use of an apology! If something happens to my aunt, will an apology bring her back to life?" a woman next to me said.

Wu Zhiyuan continued, "An apology certainly cannot undo the damage that has already been done, nor can it guarantee that Sister Li will be safe and sound."

But an apology is an attitude, a beginning of acknowledging mistakes.

Right now, the most important thing is to do everything we can to save lives!

I assure you, the hospital will use all its resources and spare no effort to save you!

Please trust the doctors and give me some time.

Wu Zhiyuan pointed to the tightly closed emergency room door: "Making a scene here won't solve anything, it will only interfere with the doctors' efforts to save lives!"

If our arguments delay the best time for treatment, it will be an irreparable regret. Don't you agree?

The family members all quieted down.

Wu Zhiyuan pressed his advantage: "Regarding the issue of your house being demolished and the compensation, I solemnly promise here, in front of everyone:"

The town's Party committee and government will establish a special working group for this matter, which I will personally oversee, to reinvestigate and conduct a comprehensive assessment.

From whether the demolition procedure was legal to whether the compensation standards were reasonable and fair, every step will be thoroughly investigated.

If it is found that there were errors or injustices in the previous handling, those that should be corrected should be corrected, those that should be compensated should be compensated, and those that should be apologized should be apologized!

Those who should be held accountable will be dealt with seriously, regardless of who is involved, and no leniency will be shown!

Wu Zhiyuan paused for a moment, then said, "Please give me, and the town's Party committee and government, a chance."

We will disclose the process and results to you and to all the people in the town.

If you are still not satisfied in the end, you can resolve this through legal channels. I support you in protecting your rights in accordance with the law.

But before that, please let us rescue the person and find out the truth, okay?

Li Lamei's son asked, "Secretary Wu, are you telling the truth? You're not lying to us? You can make that decision?"

Wu Zhiyuan's voice was firm and powerful: "I can make the decision! I am the Party Secretary of Xindian Town!"

If I ultimately fail to keep my word or cannot resolve the issue, you are welcome to criticize me at any time, or even report me to your superiors.

But for now, please trust me this once. Please cooperate with the hospital so that Sister Li can receive the best possible treatment!

Some of the onlookers were from Gushu Village, while others were not, but they had heard about Wu Zhiyuan's deeds, including his serious handling of the illegal brick kiln incident, his rescue of many disabled workers, and his nighttime "ghost-catching" to rescue many female victims.

Some of them were from the street and knew about Wu Zhiyuan's deeds in dealing with the abuse of elderly people in nursing homes and sending homeless elderly people to nursing homes for care.

They all stood up and spoke well of Wu Zhiyuan.

When officials confront the public, the public generally will not side with the officials.

But this time, it's different.

A member of the public exclaimed, "Secretary Wu is truly different from other town officials! He's a good official! We all believe in him!"

More people praised Wu Zhiyuan.

Wu Zhiyuan felt a warmth in his heart. The common people are very simple and honest; as long as you do something for them sincerely, they will remember it.

Li Lamei's son finally said, "Secretary Wu, we believe you! We'll do as you say: save lives first, then discuss the reasons!"

The scene finally calmed down.

During this time, Wu Zhiyuan received a call from Gan Simiao: "Zhiyuan, Lin Xue, the deputy secretary of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, will be coming to Qingshan County for research the day after tomorrow."

The research focused on grassroots Party conduct and integrity, particularly the prevention and control of corruption risks in key areas and the implementation of policies benefiting the people. She specifically requested to visit Xindian Town.