Chapter 44 The Boss Takes the Field

On this day, a provincial executive meeting was held by the provincial government.

Following his boss, Zhang Jun arrived at the provincial government meeting room and waited in the lounge along with several other provincial governors' secretaries.

High-level meetings chaired by the governor generally fall into four categories.

First is the plenary meeting of the provincial government. This includes the governor, vice governors, secretary-general, deputy secretaries-general, and the heads of various provincial departments and bureaus. Comprising the core members of the province's decision-making system, its primary focus is on studying current hot-button and challenging issues.

Second is the executive meeting of the provincial government, convened and presided over by the governor, with participants including the vice governors and the provincial government's secretary-general.

Third is the provincial governor's office meeting, proposed by the relevant vice governor and chaired by the governor. Attendees are primarily the heads of departments related to the specific agenda item, and the meeting is mainly used to coordinate and resolve concrete issues in cross-departmental affairs.

Fourth is the provincial government's specialized meeting, presided over by a vice governor or the provincial government's secretary-general. Attendees are department heads connected to the specific topic, and the purpose is to research and discuss a particular specialized task, thereby putting forward countermeasures and suggestions.

The meeting held today was a provincial governor's office meeting, proposed by Vice Governor Ma Hongqi and chaired by the governor, with relevant department heads also in attendance.

Ma Hongqi had proposed implementing province-wide transparency in rural party affairs and government administration, as well as financial transparency within the village branch committee and village committee—collectively known as the "Three-Affairs Transparency" initiative.

Whether the proposal would pass depended entirely on the discussion and vote during the meeting.

Waiting in the lounge, Zhang Jun could not hear the discussions taking place inside.

The meeting had originally been scheduled to last for forty-five minutes, but it kept going until the lunch hour before finally adjourning.

Zhang Jun used his mobile phone to handle official business.

Many people came to see Ma Hongqi, and when they could not reach him, they had no choice but to turn to Zhang Jun.

Zhang Jun replied to each of them one by one, explaining that Governor Ma was currently attending an important meeting and asking them to reschedule for another day.

The meeting finally concluded.

When Ma Hongqi walked out, he looked radiant and waved his hand cheerfully.

Zhang Jun stepped forward to report on work matters.

Back in the office, Ma Hongqi said, "Xiao Zhang, you truly are my lucky charm! The investigations you conducted and the photographs you took came in extremely useful today. I successfully persuaded all the leaders, and we’ve decided to implement the Three-Affairs Transparency initiative across the entire province! No pilot program—we're going straight for the big move!"

Seeing his boss in such high spirits, Zhang Jun smiled and said, "That is entirely due to the boss's profound vision and farsightedness, which coincidentally aligned with the brilliant minds of the other leaders. Under the boss's leadership, I merely played an insignificant part."

Ma Hongqi was immensely pleased.

After the afternoon shift began, Ma Hongqi called Zhou Kang and asked him to come to the office.

Zhou Kang walked in with his hands clasped behind his back. Noticing Zhang Jun writing documents, he gave a light cough.

Zhang Jun looked up and said, "Secretary-General Zhou, the boss is waiting for you. Please go right in."

Zhou Kang walked up to him and asked, "What is Governor Ma's mood like?"

Zhang Jun was slightly taken aback and replied, "I'd say the boss is in a very good mood."

*Could Zhou Kang have guessed something?* he wondered inwardly.

*Did the boss call Zhou Kang over to have a showdown?*

Hesitating for a moment, Zhou Kang frowned and turned to walk into the office.

Displaying good tact, Zhang Jun did not follow him in to eavesdrop.

Full half an hour passed before Zhou Kang finally emerged.

To Zhang Jun's surprise, Zhou Kang looked neither exasperated nor dejected.

*Could my guess have been wrong?*

*Did Ma Hongqi not have a showdown with Zhou Kang after all?*

The decision-making of superiors is as unpredictable as the mandate of heaven, so Zhang Jun thought it best not to pry.

However, Zhang Jun soon witnessed Ma Hongqi's extraordinary political acumen.

One day in late October, Zhang Jun accompanied Ma Hongqi to inspect several top-tier tertiary hospitals.

All the hospitals had made corresponding rectifications to stand ready for the leadership's inspection.

On the way back to the provincial government compound after the inspections, Ma Hongqi suddenly instructed Driver Wu, "Head to the Provincial Party Committee."

The Provincial Party Committee was not far from the provincial government; they arrived in twenty minutes.

Ma Hongqi stepped out of the car in front of the Provincial Party Committee office building and said to Zhang Jun, "Xiao Zhang, come with me."

Acknowledging the instruction, Zhang Jun picked up the briefcase and followed closely at his boss's heels, step for step.

People often said that a secretary is the boss's shadow.

When there are no particular matters at hand, a secretary walks within the shadow cast behind the boss.

The person Ma Hongqi was going to see was Zheng Dongfang, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee.

Before entering Zheng Dongfang's office, Ma Hongqi glanced at Zhang Jun and said, "Xiao Zhang, come in with me."

A wave of excitement surged through Zhang Jun. He straightened his back and adjusted his collar.

This was his very first time meeting Zheng Dongfang in person!

Previously, he had only been able to gaze upon the leader's visage through television news broadcasts.

Zheng Dongfang was around sixty years old, sporting a slicked-back hairstyle. His hair, likely dyed, was pitch-black, glossy, and immaculate without a single strand out of place, making him look youthful, vibrant, energetic, and glowing with health.

Having met numerous leaders, Zhang Jun discovered that traditional folklore concerning physiognomy and face-reading actually held some truth; anyone who ascends to the rank of a senior leader inevitably possesses exceptional facial features.

Zheng Dongfang shook hands with Ma Hongqi and smiled, saying, "Hongqi, you are a rare visitor in my office! Have you long forgotten the days when we were sent-down youth together?"

Zhang Jun felt a jolt of surprise. *They share that kind of history? That must make them old acquaintances, right?*

Ma Hongqi bowed slightly and replied, "I mainly wanted to avoid any appearance of suspicion, lest people accuse us of forming some small clique—that wouldn't look good! You are my old leader, how could I ever forget you?"

Indicating Zhang Jun, Ma Hongqi introduced, "This is my secretary, Comrade Zhang Jun."

Bowing slightly, Zhang Jun said respectfully, "Hello, Secretary Zheng!"

Zheng Dongfang nodded and shook his hand.

Ma Hongqi and Zheng Dongfang took their seats on the sofa.

Not daring to sit, Zhang Jun stood to one side, holding the briefcase.

Without beating around the bush, Ma Hongqi said, "Secretary Zheng, the main reason I came this time is to discuss the matter concerning Comrade Zhou Kang."

Pondering for a moment, Zheng Dongfang said, "Zhou Kang? Your secretary-general, right?"

Ma Hongqi reached out his hand toward Zhang Jun.

Promptly opening the briefcase, Zhang Jun extracted a stack of documents from inside and placed them into his boss's hands.

Although the briefcase belonged to Ma Hongqi and Zhang Jun did not know its contents, when the boss held out his hand, it was certainly for the documents inside.

Handing the materials to Zheng Dongfang, Ma Hongqi said, "It is indeed him. These are whistleblower materials related to Comrade Zhou Kang. Some were forwarded by the Letters and Visits Office, while others were passed to me by Comrade Zhao Youjun from the Discipline Inspection Commission. Because Comrade Zhou Kang serves as my secretary-general, whenever issues involving him arise, officials dare not act without authorization and must seek my approval first. While I know the comrades do this out of consideration for me, I cannot shield Comrade Zhou Kang. I have compiled his relevant materials into a dossier and present them for Secretary Zheng's review and ultimate decision."

Taking the documents, Zheng Dongfang immediately opened them and began to read.

Zhang Jun noticed that Zheng Dongfang's expression gradually grew solemn.

As he turned the pages further, the vertical furrow between Zheng Dongfang's brows deepened with every single leaf.

Finishing the last page, Zheng Dongfang slammed the documents heavily onto the coffee table with a loud thud and coldly snorted, "What use is there in keeping such an official around? Simply audacious, utterly devoid of party discipline!"

A tremor ran through Zhang Jun's entire body. *So this is it,* he thought. *Ma Hongqi's previous kindness to Zhou Kang was merely a ploy to stabilize him before plunging a dagger into his back.*

*If you strike, strike to kill; a single blow must be fatal!*