Chapter 51: A Hidden Arrow Inflicts Injury

Ma Hongqi was not joking; he was issuing an order!

"Once Number Six Middle School relocates to the Education Bureau building, whether this site is rebuilt or not becomes irrelevant. You can delay it until whatever year you please! Comrade Fang Jianwen, you are responsible for supervising this matter and must ensure it is completed within five working days! I will return to conduct another inspection!"

Fang Jianwen gave a humble acknowledgment.

Jia Dehai was scared out of his wits. If they really did that, his career as the director of the Education Bureau would effectively be over. His authority would be completely compromised afterwards, and who would ever submit to his management?

He shouted aloud, "Governor Ma! As soon as this semester ends, we will find a way to rebuild!"

Ma Hongqi let out a cold snort, his gaze severe as he demanded, "Are you trying to bargain with me?"

Jia Dehai swore to the heavens, saying, "N-no, I wouldn't dare! I will figure something out and demolish it immediately—right now! We will rebuild the entire Number Six Middle School from the ground up!"

The corners of Ma Hongqi's mouth curved upward slightly. "It seems you are not incapable after all; you simply didn't want to listen to me, is that it?"

This was a direct rejection of Jia Dehai's political stance!

To a leader, a subordinate's personal capability was secondary, but their political allegiance was absolutely paramount!

Jia Dehai trembled in his boots and stammered, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare! I am Governor Ma's soldier!"

Ma Hongqi pointed at Fang Jianwen. "I'll give you only one week! During the demolition and reconstruction, the teachers and students must be properly accommodated so that their studies are not disrupted. If there is nowhere to house them, clear out the Education Bureau office building for me!"

Fang Jianwen answered respectfully, "Understood, Governor Ma."

Just then, school was dismissed, and countless students poured out of the classrooms.

The innocent children ran along the corridors, causing the teaching building to shake visibly to the naked eye.

Zhang Jun's heart leaped into his throat, fearing the building might collapse at any moment.

The school leaders spotted Ma Hongqi and his group and hurried over.

When they heard that the school was going to be rebuilt immediately, they were overjoyed.

The principal shouted toward the teaching building, "Students, this is Governor Ma! He has promised us that our Number Six Middle School will be rebuilt immediately! We are going to have new classrooms! Everyone, thank Governor Ma!"

The corridors of the three-story teaching building were packed densely with children who shouted in unison, "Thank you, Governor Ma!"

For some reason, Zhang Jun felt his eyes grow slightly moist at that moment.

Power not only brings wealth and prestige, but it also bestows precious things that money cannot buy!

Ma Hongqi turned around, looked at those innocent and lovely smiling faces, and waved at them.

On the way back to the provincial government headquarters,

Ma Hongqi sat in the back seat of the car and suddenly asked, "Xiao Zhang, are you wondering why I didn't relieve Jia Dehai of his post?"

Zhang Jun answered respectfully, "My boss wants him to finish the job before dismissing him. Jia Dehai has been entrenched in the position of Education Bureau Director for many years, so his promise to rebuild must carry some weight. If someone else were hastily put in his place, they might not necessarily manage to get the reconstruction of Number Six Middle School done properly."

A look of approval flashed in Ma Hongqi's eyes as he said, "A malleable mind, truly teachable!"

It was not until he finished work and returned home that Zhang Jun dared to take out the whistleblower letter and read it carefully.

The letter was written in meticulous detail, clearly the work of an insider.

"Well, whose love letter are you reading?" Liu Yujie walked out carrying dishes, placed them on the dining table, wiped her hands on her apron, and smiled, "Which beauty wrote that to you?"

Zhang Jun glanced at his wife and said, "Have a look for yourself!"

Liu Yujie giggled. "You're really letting me see it? Then I'll take a look."

She reached out and took it. After just a single glance, her eyes suddenly widened in utter horror. "Zhang Jun, where did this come from?"

"It's a whistleblower letter sent to Governor Ma by someone, and I intercepted it," Zhang Jun said with a dark expression. "I told you not to accept other people's money, but you insisted on taking it! Now look, someone is green with envy, aren't they?"

Liu Yujie truly panicked now. She sat down beside him and asked, "Who on earth is this person? How do they know every single detail? Even about you getting a promotion banquet and me accepting a twenty-thousand-yuan red envelope—they know that too?"

"There is no airtight wall in this world!" Zhang Jun shook his head. "You were the one who accepted the money. I didn't even attend that promotion banquet, but who would believe my explanation?"

Liu Yujie continued reading, growing increasingly panicked as she went on. "How does this person know that Yuda gave us money? I really didn't tell a soul! I haven't even gone to look at the apartment yet!"

Zhang Jun sneered, "Do you even have to ask? It must have been Yuda who blabbed! Only you and Yuda knew about this matter; if it wasn't you, it had to be him."

Liu Yujie felt a pain as sharp as a needle piercing her heart. "No way, my younger brother wouldn't be that clueless!"

Zhang Jun let out a long sigh. "Of course he wouldn't intentionally blab, but I'm afraid he drank too much, got plied with questions by some beauty, and spilled his guts right away."

Liu Yujie gasped, whipped out her mobile phone, and called her brother.

The phone rang for a long time before it was finally answered.

The harsh sounds of heavy metal music came through the receiver, accompanied by the flirtatious laughter and shouts of women.

Liu Yujie yelled into the phone, "Yuda! Where are you? Get over to my house right now! Hurry up!"

"Sis, I'm hanging out at a KTV! What's up? Can't you just say it over the phone?" Liu Yudao slurred his words, letting out a drunken hiccup on the other end.

"Stop talking nonsense and get over here immediately!" Liu Yujie demanded in an unquestionable tone. "I have something extremely important to discuss with you! Step on it!"

With that, she hung up the phone.

Liu Yujie had been an overbearing woman since childhood, and her younger brother was terrified of her, so he dared not disobey. If Zhang Jun hadn't recently achieved success, she would have been equally domineering in this household.

True to form, after Zhang Jun and Liu Yujie finished eating, Liu Yuda arrived.

"Brother-in-law! Sis!" Liu Yuda grinned as he handed a pack of Furongwang cigarettes to Zhang Jun.

In the past, he used to bum cigarettes off others, but now he bought such high-end brands for himself.

Zhang Jun refused to take the cigarette, pointed at the sofa, and said, "Yuda, sit down. Your sister has something to ask you."

Since it concerned her husband's official career, Liu Yujie was just as anxious as Zhang Jun. With a darkened face, she demanded, "Who have you told about giving me money? Tell me the truth! Not a single word of falsehood is allowed!"

Liu Yuda scratched his head. He had spent the entire afternoon lounging in a KTV and was thoroughly drunk, his head still spinning. After struggling to think for a moment, he said, "Sis, I never told anyone about that!"

"No, you must have told someone, think carefully! This is extremely important!" Liu Yujie slapped her brother's arm and urged, "Hurry up! You're driving me crazy!"

Liu Yuda let out an "oh" of realization. "I remember now. What's-his-name... Liu Zhengjie. Right, my brother-in-law's friend, Liu Zhengjie. Once when he invited me out for drinks, he asked me how I had suddenly come into money recently. Figuring he was a good friend of my brother-in-law's, I just told him."

Zhang Jun froze.

Liu Yujie pressed further, "Yuda, are you sure you only told him?"

Liu Yuda waved both hands and said, "I'm not an idiot, how could I go around telling other people? Ugh—Sis, I need to go to the bathroom! I'm about to throw up."

Zhang Jun clenched his teeth. In his wildest dreams, he never would have expected that the person who blew the whistle on him was actually Liu Zhengjie!