What is the biggest rule in bureaucracy?
Taking a side!
Choosing correctly can pave the way for continuous promotions, while misstepping leads to a severe downfall.
Wei Jiangnan, before his rebirth, was a prime example of those who sided wrongly and was schemed to become a scapegoat. He spent his entire life in remote towns. In June 2023, he was hit and killed by a speeding car on his way back to the city over the weekend.
Unexpectedly, he was reborn 21 years in the past, that is, in 2002.
November 11th, the future singles' day!
The day after Wei Jiangnan reborn.
Two days ago, the youngest female "Department Official" of Jingjiang province, a standing member of the Jiuan Municipal committee, and Executive Deputy Mayor Gao Yan, were reported. After an emergency report and approval from the Municipal and Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, temporary housing measures were taken, and she was "detained" and awaiting for members of the Discipline Inspection to deal with the matter. While Wei Jiangnan was assigned as one of the personnel responsible for observing her.
When he saw the "detained" "female criminal" with grace and charm inside the luxury suite of Taihe Hotel, Wei Jiangnan knew his chance to turn his life around had arrived.
Just beside Wei Jiangnan, in the living room separated by just a door, Gao Yan, the Executive Deputy Mayor with shoulder-length hair, decent beauty, a full and upright figure, and a frosty face, sat with her arms crossed, looking straight ahead, not even glancing at the two guards outside the door.
The Taihe Hotel, originally Jiu'an City's Peace District Jindun Hotel.
The designated hotel of Jiu'an City Discipline Inspection Commission.
Almost all officials who have been subject to mandatory measures by the Discipline Inspection are initially "house arrested" in this hotel, confessing their issues to the Commission.
Now, Wei Jiangnan and his colleague Meng Fanyu were responsible for overseeing Gao Yan.
After the longest night of his life, Wei Jiangnan had accepted the fact of his rebirth. He began to calmly consider how he should take advantage of this most significant "opportunity" in his life.
Gao Yan was suddenly taken into custody by the City Discipline Inspection Commission two days ago.
As the youngest deputy mayor of a sub-provincial city in the entire Jingjiang Province, and a female cadres, Gao Yan originally had a promising future. Rumors had it, in the leadership reshuffle at the end of this year, Gao Yan would officially become the Mayor of Jiu'an City.
Gao Yan was parachuted in from above, and was rumored to have powerful connections.
Hence, many people believed these rumors.
Everyone had prepared themselves to welcome the first female mayor since the establishment of Jiu'an City.
However, just two days ago, there was a sudden change. Gao Yan was reported, and the reporter made firm allegations. The discipline inspection personnel who arrived upon hearing the news indeed found a large amount of cash, as much as five hundred thousand, in Gao Yan's liquor cabinet.
After obtaining urgent approval from the City Committee, the Provincial Committee, and the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission, the Jiu'an City Discipline Inspection Commission immediately took action against Deputy Mayor Gao, escorting her to Taihe Hotel for detention.
Wei Jiangnan was arranged to "guard" Gao Yan at the Taihe Hotel.
Normally, such tasks wouldn't fall on Wei Jiangnan’s shoulders.
He was a temporary transfer.
His actual work unit was the Armed Forces of Hetian Town, Gaoshan County, Jiu'an City. Only a week ago, he had just been transferred from the town below to help the City Discipline Inspection Commission.
He was quite literally a runner.
As a result, not long after the transfer, he ran into this incident.
Indeed, he was singled out by the leaders of the City Discipline Inspection Commission and became the "guard" of Deputy Mayor Gao.
This certainly wasn’t considered a cushy job.
It was an affair of offending people.
Any discerning person could see that there was something fishy about Gao Yan being "caught."
How could it be such a coincidence?
When she was reported, Gao Yan was conducting research in the lower counties. Out of the blue, someone reported her, and the Disciplinary Committee indeed managed to find five hundred thousand cash in her house.
Could it really be that perfect?
Even a fool could see that this was a "struggle."
After all, Gao Yan was not the only one who had her sights set on the mayor's seat of Jiu An City.
The current full-time deputy secretary of the municipal party committee, Wang Hongda, was also an extremely strong contender.
Unlike Gao Yan, Wang Hongda was a local of Jiu An. He was born and grew up in Jiu An, and apart from spending three years at college in another city and working in Daning for a few years, he spent most of his time in Jiu An. But for some reason, both his place of origin and his household registration were in the provincial capital, Daning.
This made him not subject to the "avoidance policy," and theoretically, he was fully qualified to serve as the mayor of Jiu An City, or even the secretary of the Jiu An City Party Committee.
For the mayor’s seat, the two of them had been openly and secretly vying for a long time.
Gao Yan and Wang Hongda had their own strengths.
Gao Yan's main support came from the higher-ups. Rumor has it that a high-ranking leader supported her. In terms of economic development, Gao Yan was a master, as she could get better policies from the top, as well as funding.
Both of these are extremely valuable for the local area.
Officials who can secure policies and funds are always given high priority.
Wang Hongda's strength, without a doubt, lies in his local influence. After decades of meticulous work in Jiuan, both Wang Hongda and the Wang family's reach has permeated into every aspect of Jiuan.
Furthermore, Wang Hongda is well-regarded for his shrewdness and smooth interpersonal skills. Everyone praises him for being loyal and a good friend.
A large group of people is cheering him on.
However, those familiar with the machinations of the system know that for important decisions like choosing the city mayor, it is mainly determined by the higher-ups. In this regard, Wang Hongda is clearly at a disadvantage.
As the reshuffling conference is approaching and the call for Gao Yan to become the mayor is increasingly louder, the possibility of Wang Hongda resorting to unconventional strategies is also increasingly higher.
Thus, there emerges the incident of Gao Yan being reported.
Being a reincarnator, Wei Jiangnan is more knowledgeable than anyone about the causes and consequences of this matter.
Because many things were confidential at the time, but as time passed, secrets gradually leaked out.
Wei Jiangnan not only knows the ins and outs of this matter but also the final outcome.
The final result is: neither Gao Yan nor Wang Hongda became the mayor.
It ended up as a ‘mutual defeat’.
The higher-ups eventually brought in a new mayor from another area.
Of course, due to lack of substantial evidence, Gao Yan was not disciplined by the organization. After her restrictions lifted, she continued her role as the standing deputy mayor of Jiuan. A few months later, she was recalled to Beidu and took up the role of a deputy director at a certain department. Two years later, she was successfully promoted to become the director.
Dramatically, after many years, Gao Yan returned once again to Jingjiang and assumed the role of the city party secretary in the neighboring city.
At this time, Wang Hongda, on the other hand, had become the party secretary of Jiuan.
In the end, wishes were indeed fulfilled.
Soon after, Wang Hongda was investigated.
As everyone said, in the end, Gao Yan had the last laugh.
However, all of these meant nothing to Wei Jiangnan.
Because he was a "pawn"!
The inside scoop on Gao Yan's "arrest", the main leaders of the Jiu'an city disciplinary committee must have been well aware of it, hence they arranged for Wei Jiangnan, a temporary staff member without any foundation, to be a "guard".
Who would do the dirty work if you don't?
The leaders of the city disciplinary committee understood clearly that by relying on this matter, it was impossible to bring Gao Yan completely down. At most, they could disgust her and prevent her from becoming the mayor.
Once the big shots behind her took action, Gao Yan would most likely be “exonerated”.
When that time came, she would still be a high-ranking leader of the city committee.
The city disciplinary committee would also need to offer a few "heads" to placate the furious Mayor Gao.
Unfortunately, Wei Jiangnan was such a "head".
Although he was just a guard with no power to participate in the "decision-making", politics is the art of compromise. When there's a need for a scapegoat, they always find those small individuals without a footing, giving both sides a way out.
As for whether this small individual is innocent or not, who cares?
It's all about making a public display of power by beheading, who cares about whose head it is? Guilty or not guilty?
Wasn't it the head of the granary officer Wang Hou that Cao, the Prime Minister, utilized years ago?
Was Wang Hou wronged or not?
Back then, Wei Jiangnan was young and naive. He didn't understand the dangers of the political landscape and only knew to resolutely carry out the instructions of his superiors. He was to "strictly guard" Gao Yan, cutting off all her connections to the outside world, never once showing a kind face to the beautiful deputy mayor.
Eventually, without any solid evidence, Gao Yan was reinstated to her initial position.
Wei Jiangnan was kicked back to Gao Mountain County. Not only was he unable to return to the relatively affluent Hetian Town, but was instead sent to the most remote and impoverished Huiyan Township. In that desolate place, he lingered for twenty-one years. It was hard enough for him to get married and yet, in the end, his wife couldn't bear the long-distance and divorced him. His only daughter was taken away. Having spent his entire life in bureaucracy, Wei Jiangnan ended up with nothing: no wife, no child. He was hit by a car and almost died.
Whenever he thinks about it, he is filled with anger.
Based on what?
Why does the most unfortunate one have to be me?
What did I do wrong?
Nothing, yet I have to bear all the consequences!
Wei Jiangnan from his previous life was tormented by all of this, unable to sleep night after night. Helplessly, he could only watch those who had played him rise steadily, becoming more successful.
However, now, the heavens have given him another opportunity to start over.
Moreover, he has been reincarnated back to the most critical juncture. How should he choose?
In fact, he has no choice at all.
Apart from "saving people", what other options does he have?
Gao Yan is the nobility that heaven has "sent" to him...
But how should he save her?
