Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 416 Handle

Deng Haidong nodded repeatedly: "That's exactly the point. We didn't really betray him; we were forced into it."

Now, pulling back from the brink and telling him the truth, telling him about Wu Zhiyuan's despicable methods of controlling us, is the "pledge of allegiance."

"Secretary Liang might find a way to counter Wu Zhiyuan, for example, by finding something on us. Would Wu Zhiyuan then be completely clean? Even if he is, we can make sure he's not."

The two knocked on the door of Liang Dongming's office.

Liang Dongming was sulking in his office.

At the first meeting of the county party committee standing committee, Wu Zhiyuan surprisingly gained the upper hand, even though he was initially full of confidence.

This is a slap in the face for him.

Deng Haidong closed the office door first, then said, "Secretary Liang, we've come to admit our mistakes to you."

"Admit your mistakes?" Liang Dongming sneered. "Didn't you already make that very clear at the Standing Committee meeting?"

"You are free to support Wu Zhiyuan's opinion; what's wrong with that?"

Chen Jimin said with a guilty look, "Secretary Liang, what we said at the Standing Committee meeting today was not our true intention. We were coerced."

Liang Dongming immediately understood: "Wu Zhiyuan?"

"Yes, Wu Zhiyuan has something on us. He used this to force us to support him at the Standing Committee meeting."

Liang Dongming asked, "What leverage?"

Deng Haidong vaguely said, "Didn't Liao Chenggong have a villa? There were some hostesses there. Sometimes when we drank too much, we inevitably hugged and kissed. Somehow, Wu Zhiyuan got these videos."

Liang Dongming was startled.

He wasn't surprised that Deng Haidong and Chen Jimin were secretly filmed, but rather surprised that the video had been leaked.

Could it be that Liao Chenggong installed a camera to secretly film people and intentionally or unintentionally leaked the video?

That night, Liao Chenggong came to his door and gave him 500,000 yuan in cash and a golden Buddha statue. Wasn't that the same as leaving evidence?

Liao Chenggong is a scoundrel. He can cheat Deng Haidong and Chen Jimin today, and he can cheat Liang Dongming tomorrow.

Liang Dongming sneered: "Just by hugging and cuddling, Wu Zhiyuan can force you to openly oppose me at the Standing Committee meeting?"

At this point, do you still want to avoid the important issues and focus on the trivial?

Deng Haidong and Chen Jimin looked at each other in bewilderment.

After a moment of silence, Deng Haidong said truthfully, "Secretary Liang, I won't hide it from you, the resort has some special services."

That bastard Liao Chenggong installed a hidden camera in the room. Somehow, the video ended up in Wu Zhiyuan's hands.

Liang Dongming was startled again.

Deng Haidong's words were an indirect reminder to him.

Liao Chenggong is unreliable.

On the one hand, they provided Deng Haidong and others with a one-stop service of eating, drinking and having fun; on the other hand, they seized on their weaknesses.

However, on the other hand, how many businessmen are truly reliable?

It's easy to clink glasses with businessmen, but it's difficult to truly open up to them.

Liang Dongming asked with a stern face, "Besides Wu Zhiyuan, who else knows about what you did at the villa?"

"I don't know. But I think Wu Zhiyuan wants to control us, so it's unlikely he would let more people know about the video."

After a moment of silence, Liang Dongming made a shocking decision: "Haidong, call Liao Chenggong right now and confront him directly about why he engaged in such dishonorable surreptitious filming and leaked the video to Wu Zhiyuan."

Deng Haidong dialed Liao Chenggong's number and pressed the speakerphone button.

Liao Chenggong's enthusiastic voice came from the other end of the phone: "Director Deng, what are your instructions?"

Suppressing his anger, Deng Haidong asked coldly, "President Liao, I have a question for you. Did you install hidden cameras in your room at the resort?"

Liao Chenggong felt a chill run down his spine. Deng Haidong's questioning must mean he had heard something.

There is no free lunch in the world.

As a businessman, the resort spends millions of dollars every year to transform itself into another "Red Mansion," providing officials with a one-stop service of eating, drinking, and entertainment. The purpose is to win over and corrupt officials and leave them with incriminating evidence.

But can this be admitted?

If they admit it, will any officials dare to come in the future?

No officials dared to come. Without the protection of officials, how could his business still go smoothly?

"Director Deng, what are you saying? Do you think I, Liao Chenggong, am that kind of person?"

I swear to God, absolutely nothing like that happened. We're friends, how could I do such a despicable thing?

I'm puzzled. Why did Director Deng suddenly ask about this?

Deng Haidong sneered: "President Liao, let me ask you, how did some of my indecent videos at the villa end up in Wu Zhiyuan's hands?"

He forwarded the video to me and used it to threaten me?

"If you didn't leak the video, how did he obtain it?"

Liao Chenggong was greatly alarmed.

Over the years, he did indeed secretly film many videos of officials indulging in pleasure at the resort, but he never leaked the videos, nor did he report them online or to the disciplinary committee.

Because if these officials, whom he has won over and corrupted, were to get into trouble, it would bring him no benefit whatsoever.

He not only didn't want these officials to get into trouble, but he also hoped they would rise through the ranks.

"It ended up in County Magistrate Wu's hands? That's impossible!"

I swear on my integrity that I have never secretly filmed any guests, let alone given the videos to anyone else!

Does this do me any good? Someone must be setting me up!

Liao Chenggong then explained, "Director Deng, I swear to God! I really didn't!"

The resort is a place to entertain friends, and safety and privacy are paramount. If I did that kind of thing, who would dare to come here again?

Are we still going to do business? I suspect there's a mole inside the resort; they have ulterior motives and secretly installed it in the resort's bedrooms.

As you know, some underground criminals secretly film and resell these videos.

These days, many hotels are making headlines for guests discovering hidden cameras. This has become an entire industry.

If you trust me, I'll investigate right now, every room in the resort, every staff member—I'll get to the bottom of this!

Liang Dongming gestured to Deng Haidong, indicating that he wanted to say a few words to Liao Chenggong.

Of course, it's mostly a warning.

Liang Dongming's voice was cold: "President Liao, I am Liang Dongming."

Liao Chenggong was surprised again: "Secretary Liang, you're here too?"

"General Manager Liao, Director Haidong and County Head Jimin have reported to me that you have been corrupting officials, engaging in improper transfer of benefits, and even suspected of using illegal means to obtain other people's privacy."

These actions are very serious, not only damaging normal government-business relations but also violating the bottom line of Party discipline and national laws.

I hope you can correct your attitude and properly recognize the seriousness of the problem.

Liao Chenggong on the other end of the phone was clearly flustered, his voice trembling slightly: "Secretary Liang, I have always abided by the law in my business dealings, and I have the utmost respect for leaders. I have absolutely no intention of trying to win them over or corrupt them! There must be some misunderstanding..."

"Whether it's a misunderstanding or not, you know best." Liang Dongming interrupted him, his tone even more stern. "I'm reminding you, you have to do business the right way. You won't go far by resorting to crooked means!"

What Qingyan needs for development is law-abiding and honest entrepreneurs, not people who rely on scheming and breaking the rules!

This matter is no longer a simple business dispute or a leak of personal privacy; it involves the discipline and conduct of Party members and cadres, and is very serious in nature.

The county public security bureau is investigating this matter. Your company must fully cooperate and must not conceal or obstruct it in any way.

This is not only about being responsible to Director Deng and County Head Chen, but also about being responsible for the standardized operation of your company.

If the problem is found to be internal to the resort, you can rectify it in a timely manner.

If someone has framed you, the police can clear your name.

Upon hearing this, Liao Chenggong panicked and hurriedly said, "Secretary Liang, is there any need to trouble the police? We'll conduct an internal investigation and definitely get to the bottom of this..."

"Self-examination?" Liang Dongming interrupted him again. "President Liao, haven't you realized the seriousness of the problem yet?"

This is no longer something your company can handle internally!

The video involves county leaders and may involve more officials; it must be investigated by law enforcement agencies in accordance with the law! This is procedure, and it's also discipline!

Liao Chenggong's mind raced; once the police got involved, it would be difficult to cover things up.

After hanging up the phone, Liang Dongming asked Deng Haidong and Chen Jimin, "Does the county public security bureau have any absolutely reliable information that can both investigate the source of the indecent video at the resort and ensure that only a few of us know about this?"

Deng Haidong and Chen Jimin were well aware that recommending an absolutely reliable person to intervene in the investigation was both to find out the truth and to strictly control the scope of information dissemination.

Chen Jimin recommended his classmate Zhao Lei: "Zhao Lei, the captain of the Criminal Investigation Brigade of the County Public Security Bureau, is my high school classmate. He is highly capable, and most importantly, he is very reliable and keeps his mouth shut."

Deng Haidong also expressed his approval: "I am also very familiar with Zhao Lei. He doesn't talk much, but he is very capable. We are at ease with him taking charge."

Liang Dongming nodded: "Then let Zhao Lei investigate. This investigation must be conducted in secrecy. This matter must not be blown out of proportion, otherwise it will not only have a great negative impact on you, but also damage the image of the county party committee and county government."

……

The leaked video of the villa being secretly filmed enraged Liang Dongming, and the police were coming to investigate. Liao Chenggong, feeling irritable, called his son Liao Jinshen to his office.

"What? The video ended up in Wu Zhiyuan's hands?" Liao Jinshen was shocked.

"Jin Shen, I don't know where things went wrong, but the video ended up in Wu Zhiyuan's hands."

"Dad, could it be that Liao Shanshan handed the video over to Wu Zhiyuan?"

Liao Chenggong was taken aback: "Liao Shanshan? How did she get the video?"

Liao Jinshen dared not hide the truth: "Dad, it's like this..."

After hearing his son's story, Liao Chenggong was furious: "You're a complete idiot! Liao Shanshan said she was learning skills by watching videos, such a lame excuse, and you actually believed it? Is your brain full of mush?"

If she's learning techniques, can't she watch Japanese adult films?

Now look what's happened! If the police investigate and find out that we installed hidden cameras ourselves, secretly filmed officials in compromising situations, and then failed to properly safeguard them, who will dare to do business with us in the future?

No officials will dare to come to the resort again. We will no longer be able to find any dirt on anyone. All the project approvals, policy favors, and bank loans obtained through bribery will be cut off.

Which aspect of the group's key enterprises—safety production, land acquisition procedures, and environmental compliance—can withstand close scrutiny?

"Dad, I was wrong. I was bewitched by Liao Shanshan's beauty and believed her lies without thinking."

But I really didn't expect that she would hand the video over to Wu Zhiyuan, who then used it to threaten Deng Haidong and Chen Jimin.

Liao Chenggong waved his hand: "It's no use talking about this now. Remove all the hidden cameras in the villa right now!"

"Dad, we can't take them all down! I have a way, it's not a brilliant idea, but it can help us distance ourselves from the hidden cameras."