Courtyard house: Just the right amount of pressure, leaving you bewildered but not brain-damaged.

To be honest, Yi Zhonghai's questions are valid.

No matter how powerful a department is, it still has someone managing it. How could it possibly be "outside the three realms and outside the five elements"?

Even if the security department were Sun Wukong, they could still ask the Buddha for help.

Ning Yiming was amused by Yi Zhonghai's words.

If it weren't for the fact that he had been beaten quite badly and the fingerprints on his face were still faintly visible, Ning Yiming would have really wanted to say a few sarcastic remarks to him.

However, every time the working group held a meeting, it emphasized the need to gain the trust of the workers and make them believe that the joint public-private ownership was not only a major trend, but also a huge transformation for the workers to become the new masters of the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill.

If a reasonable explanation isn't given today, what if tomorrow at work, Yi Zhonghai tries to gain sympathy by playing the victim in the logistics workshop, causing conflict between the workers and the security department and work group?

At that point, not only will Ning Yiming, an ordinary staff member, be in deep trouble, but the entire working group will be in serious trouble.

"Master Yi, please don't get agitated. I'll explain it to you slowly," Ning Yiming said patiently, trying to calm Yi Zhonghai down.

"I just said that the security department is responsible for protecting state property. What's your opinion?"

Before he could finish speaking, Yi Zhonghai replied, "Of course, it's to prevent Dieter from causing trouble."

Yes, but not entirely.

"Let me put it this way: property can be destroyed, embezzled, or misappropriated."

"So in addition to guarding against Dieter, the security department is also responsible for supervising the factory leaders."

"They're part of a supervisory task force; are you suggesting they discipline the security department? Is that even possible?"

Yi Zhonghai felt his head was spinning. He slapped it twice, wincing in pain. "Officer Ning, didn't you just say you were shirking responsibility to your superiors? How come you're saying this now..."

"Sigh," Ning Yiming sighed, "Master Yi, that's what I said, but I didn't say it was the steel rolling mill's fault."

"The factory can indeed manage a portion of it, but it's very small."

"The Public Security Bureau is the direct supervisory unit of the Security Section, but of course, it doesn't have the final say."

"Militia training is the responsibility of the district armed forces department, which is also the home of demobilized soldiers. Important decisions about the security section cannot bypass the armed forces department."

"If you insist on determining right and wrong with Gao Xiaosheng, go to the factory, the public security bureau, and the armed forces department. If you can reach a consensus, there is still hope."

That being said, Ning Yiming didn't think Yi Zhonghai could succeed.

It's no exaggeration to say that having three supervisory units is like having three monks with no water to drink; it's basically a case of the three not taking care of anything.

The factory dared not interfere.

It's true that the security department needs the cooperation of the factory leaders, but they are also responsible for supervision. Which group leader or deputy group leader would dare to fall out with the security department and not be afraid of being punished later?

The Public Security Bureau is in a position where it has the power to manage things but doesn't need to.

The police station is short-staffed, which is a real problem. In the past, they could ask street activists for help, but now that production and life have returned to normal, the workers are busy working in the factory all day, so they don't have time to help them set up roadblocks.

The only feasible solution is to borrow personnel from the security departments of various factories.

There's a lot to it here. A temporary transfer is not a formal order. Even if the security department doesn't dare to refuse outright, they can always resort to underhanded tactics. Is transferring one person the same as transferring ten?

Needless to say, the armed forces department is a different story; would the mother's family really trip up her own child?

Even if they didn't directly kick Yi Zhonghai out, they should still praise him for being conscientious and having high moral character.

"This, this..."

"After visiting three places, is there still only hope?"

Yi Zhonghai stammered for a long time before finally managing to utter a complete sentence.

"That's right," Ning Yiming nodded matter-of-factly. "Didn't I say that if you can't get past Section Chief Zhou, no one's word will carry any weight?"

"The disciplinary process cannot proceed without the head of the security department's signature."

You should understand this principle.

"Isn't it the same in the workshop? The notice to punish Jia Dongxu was only issued after the logistics workshop director signed it."

Yi Zhonghai couldn't even remember how he left Ning's house; his mind was a complete blank as he walked down the street.

He seems to have done something stupid.

Originally, he planned to swallow his pride, play the victim, and badmouth Gao Xiaosheng to Ning Yiming in order to gain the sympathy of the union.

I'll go to the work group again tomorrow to complain. We'll take a two-pronged approach. Even if we can't get Gao Xiaosheng punished, a warning or at least a 50/50 split would be fine.

It's better than losing miserably.

Yi Zhonghai was able to salvage some of his reputation within the factory.

But now, instead of achieving his goal, he's parading around with his big, fat face, which has been seen by all the neighbors.

As for getting through three departments and then getting Section Chief Zhou's signature, Yi Zhonghai realized that this was an impossible task.

The logistics workshop director signed it without hesitation, because he dared not refuse. The work group had no jurisdiction over the security department, let alone a small workshop director.

But Section Chief Zhou wasn't afraid. He had the right to supervise, so why should he be a signing machine?

Once Yi Zhonghai understood this, he felt incredibly bitter.

If he had known this would be the outcome, why would he have bothered making the trip?

He even told his wife, Wu Guizhen, that he wouldn't be coming home for dinner. Isn't that like slapping himself in the face?

"Zhonghai, you're back so early? Have you eaten?"

Returning home in a daze, Wu Guizhen spoke before Yi Zhonghai could even speak.

"No, I was planning to have dinner with a colleague, but he... he had something to do tonight, so I came back."

"The money is here, I haven't spent a penny. You can put it away, I'm going back to my room to rest for a while."

Yi Zhonghai hung his head, looking like a wilted eggplant. He took off his shoes, lay down on the bed, and stared blankly at the ceiling.

The more smoothly things went in the beginning, the more awkward it is now.

He was willing to spend money to treat people, but he found himself in a situation where he had money but couldn't spend it.

"Zhonghai, shall I apply a cool towel to your face again?"

Wu Guizhen walked to the bedside, intending to remind her husband to take off his pants to avoid soiling the sheets, but she swallowed the words back.

"No need, it doesn't hurt anymore, I'm going to sleep for a while."

Yi Zhonghai turned over, his back to his wife.

"Then I'll go out and buy some groceries, and cook a lot more tonight."

"Um."

Wu Guizhen shook her head and tiptoed out of the inner room.

Yi Zhonghai's reaction says it all.

Although she didn't know who her husband had contacted or what he wanted to do, it was clear that things were not going very well.

As she passed the front yard, Wu Guizhen subconsciously turned her head to look at Gao Xiaosheng's east hall and heard the voices of He Yuzhu and He Yushui, the siblings, inside.

"Holy crap, Sheng-ge, you're amazing! Where did you buy the beef and mutton? This stuff is hard to come by."

"Of course Brother Sheng is amazing, no, Brother Sheng is the most amazing!"

"Brother, I want beef stew with radish, lamb too, and garlic sprouts."

"Okay, okay, I'll listen to you. I'll go back and get the seasonings and show you my skills."

"Then fetch a bucket of water while you're at it, and put the watermelon in the bucket so it'll be cool to eat."

"You little brat, all you know how to do is order your brother around."

Seeing He Yuzhu muttering to himself as he walked out carrying a bucket of water, Wu Guizhen quickly walked a few steps away, not wanting to greet him.