In name only: I will break the chess game in Handong

"Mr. Chen, this is Mr. Hou Liangping, the parent of Chen Dong, who had the conflict with Zheng Shu."

Teacher Zhu acted as the middleman and introduced the two.

Chen Luo glanced at Hou Liangping, then at Chen Dong's smug expression, and was somewhat taken aback. He hadn't expected such a coincidence.

"Hello, Comrade Hou Liangping."

Chen Luo made no move to shake hands, while Hou Liangping felt annoyed as soon as he heard the word "comrade" in the name, a term used by superiors when they were not very close to their subordinates.

After glancing at the Party emblem on Chen Luo's chest again, Hou Liangping had already categorized Chen Luo as a public official who usually flaunted his power.

"Hello Mr. Chen, I am the principal of the school. Our school is a key primary school in the province and city."

I'm truly sorry this happened. What are your plans for handling this situation?

Unlike Hou Liangping, the principal knew that Chen Zhengshu and Chen Zhengxi had extraordinary backgrounds. When they first came, they were accompanied by Liu Mingyu, who was at the level of a division chief.

A deputy director-level anti-corruption bureau chief and a division chief who brought her over and gave her careful instructions—it's like gods fighting. Who does a principal with the treatment of a deputy division chief dare to offend?

"How should this be handled? Although my nephew was at fault first, he's still just a child. Now he's been beaten black and blue. Mr. Chen, your family needs to take responsibility for this and apologize!"

Chen Luo frowned after hearing this.

"Comrade Hou Liangping, I think you've heard about what happened from the school teachers and principal, so you know very well what's right and wrong."

"Our family will neither take responsibility nor apologize for Chen Dong being beaten. On the contrary, Chen Dong should sincerely apologize to my father!"

For a time, they were locked in a fierce battle.

Both the principal and Teacher Zhu felt the atmosphere was terribly oppressive, but Hou Liangping chuckled and took out a business card from his pocket.

He then stepped forward and handed it to Chen Luo.

"Mr. Chen, my job is to find the facts and reason with people. If you are not satisfied with my request, we can also ask the Education Bureau and the Public Security Bureau to investigate and clarify the matter!"

In Hou Liangping's fantasy, Chen Luo probably just reluctantly accepted the job after seeing the business card and realizing he was the director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

After all, his identity has a tremendous deterrent effect on public officials.

But Chen Luo didn't even glance at it...

"Comrade Hou Liangping, Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, is this the kind of position you're given to use?"

Showing off and revealing one's identity?

The Party and the people have not granted you such power!

Chen Luo's voice was so loud that the pens in the hands of the other teachers in the office who were grading assignments trembled.

Everyone's heart was in their throat.

Hou Liangping... was humiliated by Chen Luo's words.

Chapter 57 Chen Yanshi's Schadenfreude

At this moment, Hou Liangping realized that something was wrong.

Most public officials are already doing well if they know their own status and don't grovel and apologize, let alone be like Chen Luo on the other side who is still righteous and reprimanding them.

"Mr. Chen, please look carefully before you speak!"

But when Hou Liangping thought about his identity and background, his confidence returned. Chen Luo across from him looked even younger than him, and he didn't believe that the other party was really not afraid!

Hou Liangping's demeanor made Chen Luo's initial reluctance to make a fuss sink to the bottom.

Taking a deep breath, Chen Luo stared at Hou Liangping with a deathly gaze.

"Comrade Hou Liangping, I see it very clearly. He is the director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Handong Provincial Procuratorate, a deputy director-level cadre!"

Are you implying that because you're the head of the anti-corruption bureau, I, an ordinary public servant and parent, should be afraid of you? That I should distort the truth and apologize to Chen Dong?

I'm telling you, it's wishful thinking!

Right is right, and wrong is wrong. Using your position to intimidate people—you're doing a great job as the head of the anti-corruption bureau!

After saying that, Chen Luo stopped arguing with Hou Liangping, took out his phone, found Ji Changming's number, and dialed it.

"Hello, is this Ji Changming? This is Chen Luo!"

Ji Changming, who had just answered the phone at the procuratorate, felt a headache coming on when he heard Chen Luo's unfriendly tone; if nothing unexpected happened, trouble was on its way.

"Secretary Chen!"

"Comrade Changming, I really didn't expect that our newest comrade Hou Liangping from the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Procuratorate would be so arrogant! When Chen Hai's son and my son had a conflict, he ignored the facts and the truth, and immediately took out his business card, showing off his power, revealing his identity, and displaying his official authority."

The Party and the people did not grant him such power!

I suggest that Comrade Changming, you personally teach this Director Hou a lesson, so that he knows what it means to come from the people and go to the people.

If he were facing an ordinary party member instead of me today, would Hou Liangping still have used his power to threaten him into success? And if he failed, would he still have used his power to thoroughly investigate the person?

Ji Changming was so angry upon hearing this that he wanted to kill Hou Liangping.

"Yes, yes, Secretary Chen, you're right. Comrade Hou Liangping's actions completely disregard the people. I'll call him right away and make sure he's dealt with seriously!"

"Well, I trust your party principles, Comrade Changming. That's settled then."

After the call ended, Hou Liangping, on the other end of the line, was ice-cold all over, with beads of sweat dripping from his forehead...

It seems he's biting off more than he can chew.

Sure enough, his phone rang the next second, and it was Ji Changming from the procuratorate calling.

"Hey, Lao Ji."

Ji Changming, who was already furious, became even angrier when he heard the title "Old Ji," while Hou Liangping was numb and didn't even notice the problem.

"Hou Liangping, do you know who is standing in front of you?"

This is Secretary Chen of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, a member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee of Handong!

Showing off one's identity and wielding official power?

You're amazing!

Are you getting carried away by your recent promotion? Let me tell you, apologize to Secretary Chen right now!

If Secretary Chen refuses to forgive you, then you can expect to be punished when you return!

Nonsense!

Ji Changming was angry, but Hou Liangping still had the Zhong family backing him up, so he couldn't say anything too harsh.

Being a good daughter-in-law and keeping things from both sides left Ji Changming feeling deeply exhausted.

After hanging up the phone, Hou Liangping saw that Chen Luo was trembling all over. Before coming to Handong, his father-in-law had told him to follow Sha Ruijin's instructions and not to provoke Chen Luo, the secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission.

Unfortunately, he's gotten himself into trouble now...

"Secretary Chen, you are right to reprimand me. I was blinded by greed and I apologize!"

Chen Luo ignored Hou Liangping's wolfish wagging tail and glanced at the time. It was already 4:30 pm, long past the time for school to end.

Without saying a word, he took Chen Zhengshu and Chen Zhengxi, the siblings, out of the school and went straight home.

As for Hou Liangping...

Faced with Chen Luo's silence, he could only anxiously ask Chen Hai to come and pick up the child before returning to the procuratorate.

Upon entering the office of the chief prosecutor, Hou Liangping was immediately met with a scathing rebuke from Ji Changming. A demerit and a 10,000-word self-criticism were inevitable. In addition, Ji Changming actually followed Chen Luo's instructions and made Hou Liangping come to his office every day to study Party regulations and organizational procedures for a month.

This matter could be a big deal or a small deal, depending entirely on how Chen Luo wanted to deal with Hou Liangping. However, after Ji Changming informed Chen Luo of this outcome, he didn't follow up on it further.

After all, he had just exchanged terms with Sha Ruijin. It wasn't to give face to Hou Liangping, but to give face to Sha Ruijin. Of course, Chen Luo hadn't forgotten that Hou Liangping's father-in-law, Zhong Zhengguo, had blocked him from entering the National Development and Reform Commission.

However, no matter how Chen Luo deals with Hou Liangping now, it will have no impact on the Zhong family. He was transferred to Handong to deal with his teacher and senior, so he was just a pawn to be discarded.

............................................................

At Chen Yanshi's home, after Chen Dong told Chen Yanshi and Chen Hai what had happened, Chen Yanshi was overjoyed.

"Little ball, did you really hear me?"

"Oh, Grandpa, I heard it clearly. Uncle Monkey didn't dare to say a word when he was scolded by Chen Zhengshu's father. In the end, Uncle Monkey could only respectfully call him Secretary Chen and say that he was willing to make a self-criticism."

Hahaha, great!

Oh dear, I really didn't expect Hou Liangping to have a conflict with Secretary Chen.

"Tsk tsk tsk, showing off his status and swaggering, that's such a perfect description. Hai Zi, do you think Secretary Chen will propose suspending Hou Liangping at the provincial party committee meeting because of this?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Hai's heart visibly raced.

Although Chen Hai didn't hate Hou Liangping for taking his position as bureau chief after being misled, it didn't mean he didn't want to take back what was rightfully his.

"Dad, this kind of thing can be a big deal or a small deal."

To put it simply, Hou Liangping lacked organizational principles, awareness, and had flaws in his work style.

To put it bluntly, it's a sign of being detached from the masses, a typical example of bureaucratic style!

Ultimately, it depends on whether Secretary Chen wants to pursue this matter.

Hearing this, Chen Yanshi sighed and nodded.

"In the end, it all comes down to a single sentence from above. Sigh, I wish I could have retired as a deputy provincial-level official."

Chen Hai had heard this sentence countless times.

"Let nature take its course, Dad."

The Chen family waited expectantly for news, but such a minor incident was insignificant to the higher-ups in Handong.

At the home of Yang Yanhua, the propaganda minister of the Hantong Provincial Party Committee compound, Lin Huahua was listening to her aunt's advice.

"Hua Hua, Secretary Chen's move this time is quite significant. Most importantly, it greatly increases the chances of Lu Yike succeeding in this matter. If possible, ask Lu Yike if you can be added to the transfer list."

Before the provincial party committee issues its opinion, the sooner we act, the greater the credit we'll receive.

Do you understand?

Lin Huahua nodded emphatically.

"Auntie, I understand. I'll contact her tomorrow."