(Original) A Glimpse into the Turbulent Officialdom of a Fleeting Time

A Fleeting Glimpse into the Turbulent Officialdom :
First Published on Caoliu Community
Author: Third Impressionist
Preface
In the Third Court of Hetian City, everyone stood up, holding their breath to listen to the judge's verdict.
Standing in the dock was a man with graying hair and a pale face, yet possessing a certain air of heroism. His square face, beneath thick black eyebrows, were a pair of empty eyes, and his facial features changed with the judge's tone. He was thin, wearing a blue-black jacket with gray undertones and blue-black trousers. He wasn't very tall, but was about 1.75 meters. His hands were handcuffed, gleaming brightly, and he listened intently to the judge's pronouncement, just like everyone else.
When the judge announced: "Li Zhiyang is not guilty and is released immediately," Li Zhiyang let out a long sigh of relief, secretly delighted. His previously melancholy expression vanished, and his empty eyes seemed to be infused with life. In an instant, they became clear and full of spirit. He glanced towards a corner of the audience, only to find a pair of eyes already fixed on him. Their eyes met, filled with surprise and joy.
The eyes that met Li Zhiyang's belonged to a slender young woman in a black trench coat. Her name was Zhu Jie, Li Zhiyang's wife. She had long, black hair tied in a ponytail, and on her fair face, beneath willow-leaf eyebrows were a pair of large, watery eyes. Her small nose was high and delicate, and her cherry-like lips seemed like a stroke of genius on her oval face. At this moment, tears welled up in her watery eyes, and her lips trembled slightly. Although the trench coat covered her body, her chest, barely visible, rose and fell with her sobs due to her emotions.
However, the eye contact did not last long before Li Zhiyang turned his gaze to the plaintiff's seat. Watching the other man, resentful yet helpless, dejectedly tidying up the documents on his desk, his eyes filled with contempt and disdain,
the bailiff standing nearby quickly approached Li Zhiyang after the judge's verdict. With a "click," the gleaming handcuffs were removed.
"Mr. Li, congratulations! You are free from now on," the bailiff said expressionlessly, removing the handcuffs.
"Thank you!" Li Zhiyang smiled slightly at the bailiff and bowed slightly in salute. The bailiff returned a crisp military salute and turned to leave.
"Chief Prosecutor Liu, you see: I am truly innocent!" After watching the bailiff leave, Li Zhiyang kept rubbing his hands together, occasionally switching the handcuffed areas, as he slowly walked towards the plaintiff's seat.
"Chief Li, don't be too smug. I will have my chance to make you face the people's justice again," a young man tidying up documents on his desk said viciously from the plaintiff's seat.
"Xiao Zhang, shut up!" A middle-aged man simply lowered his head and whispered, and the young man fell silent, angrily tidying up to the side. Without introduction, it was clear this was the Chief Prosecutor Liu that Li Zhiyang had mentioned.
"Director Li, young people have a temper. Please don't mind!" Chief Prosecutor Liu looked up and smiled at Li Zhiyang.
"Not at all! Not at all! Chief Prosecutor Liu, thank you for your care over the past three months." Li Zhiyang said with a smile, but his tone was filled with dissatisfaction.
"Director Li, we were just following the rules. There might have been some offense in the process. Please forgive us!" Chief Prosecutor Liu stood there, answering neither humbly nor arrogantly.
"Forgive me, of course I forgive you! However, Chief Prosecutor Liu, I remember your kindness. If you ever fall into my hands, I will also follow the rules. Please forgive me then too." Li Zhiyang looked at Chief Prosecutor Liu's imposing manner, his heart filled with anger. He moved closer and said fiercely.
“If Liu has done anything illegal or against the law, he will naturally be punished by the law. Director Li will act according to the rules, and Liu will absolutely cooperate!” Chief Prosecutor Liu said expressionlessly.
“Very well! Chief Prosecutor Liu, thank you in advance! Everyone, I have to take my leave. Farewell, leaders.” Just as Li Zhiyang and Chief Prosecutor Liu were talking, Zhu Jie quickly walked over from the audience. She grabbed Li Zhiyang's arm, and Li Zhiyang, seeing this, didn't press the matter further, and gave a sarcastic clasp, saying…
Chief Prosecutor Liu watched Li Zhiyang's retreating figure, feeling indescribably wronged. After Li Zhiyang had walked a short distance, he angrily slammed the documents in his hand onto the table. Those nearby, seeing this, knew that Chief Prosecutor Liu was holding back his anger. They could only silently pick up the documents, stack them neatly, and put them aside…
Meanwhile, all of this happening in the courtroom was being silently watched by a dark figure on the surveillance camera. As the shadowy figure watched Li Zhiyang walk away arm in arm with Zhu Jie, he casually picked up a red phone beside him, dialed a number, and said in a low voice into the receiver, "Plan A can be activated!" A hesitant reply came from the other end: "Execute immediately!" Hearing this, the shadowy figure gently hung up the phone…
(I) In the suite of the Fumeng
Jikena Hotel, men's and women's clothing were scattered haphazardly on the floor, along with several crumpled tissues. The air was thick with the smell of semen and sweat from a sexual encounter, mixed with the original scent of disinfectant. It created an indescribable, ambiguous atmosphere.
After several intense encounters, Li Zhiyang, half-lying on the bed, silently lit a cigarette and slowly inhaled. Turning his head to look at Zhu Jie, who was already fast asleep beside him, he felt a surge of emotions. Reflecting on his life, he took a deep drag on his cigarette.
Li Zhiyang was originally the director of the Hetian City Party Committee Office. Although only 34 years old, he already enjoyed the待遇 (treatment/benefits) of a full-fledged department-level cadre. His meteoric rise was all thanks to Party Secretary Xiong. However, just five months ago, Secretary Xiong was questioned by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection's inspection team. This was followed by being placed under investigation, then expelled from the Party and removed from public office, and finally handed over to the judiciary.
Li Zhiyang, a staunch supporter, was also affected. A little over a month after Secretary Xiong's arrest, he too was placed under investigation. The next step should have been expulsion from the Party and removed from public office, followed by a conviction and a life sentence in prison. But strangely, after the investigation and expulsion, the judicial process was not as smooth. As if by divine intervention, crucial evidence mysteriously disappeared, followed by related testimonies and physical evidence. Finally, the court acquitted him. This means Li Zhiyang might return to his original position and enjoy the benefits of a division-level cadre.
For the past three months, Li Zhiyang has felt like he's in hell. He lives on tenterhooks, constantly on edge. As the saying goes, "He who walks by the river will eventually get wet." The position of office director is inherently one of welcoming and seeing off guests. The potential for personal gain is considerable. Especially in Hetian City, the capital of Jiyang Province, the entertainment expenses alone are self-evident.
Li Zhiyang believed that compared to those leaders, he hadn't embezzled much. However, under the current law, even embezzling a single penny is still considered embezzlement. To protect himself, Li Zhiyang insisted that he hadn't embezzled or misappropriated public funds. But, the truth eventually came out. Chief Prosecutor Liu of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, despite Li Zhiyang's lack of confession, gathered all the evidence and confiscated all of his assets. After the organization decided to expel him from the Party and remove him from public office, Li Zhiyang became despondent and hopeless.
However, a court verdict suddenly gave him hope again. Having weathered the immediate crisis, what was the next step? He could only take it one step at a time.
Zhu Jie wasn't his first wife. His first wife, feeling that Li Zhiyang didn't have a bright future when he was still a junior officer, cheated on him and ran off with someone else. Zhu Jie, however, was different. She appeared in Li Zhiyang's life during his lowest point, and somewhat dramatically, their marriage was initiated by Zhu Jie's active pursuit.
At that time, Zhu Jie was an intern at Li Zhiyang's company, a graduate of a tourism college. Because they shared an office and sat facing each other, Li Zhiyang treated Zhu Jie like a younger sister, protecting and embracing her. He took great care of her both at work and in life. Gradually, feelings developed between them.
Near the end of her internship, Zhu Jie confessed her feelings to Li Zhiyang. Unexpectedly, Li Zhiyang rejected her. Although Zhu Jie was interested, and Li Zhiyang was also interested, he was still immersed in his grief and couldn't accept this newcomer. It seemed that the relationship would fizzle out. However, fate is unpredictable.
On the very day Zhu Jie returned to school, the vehicle she was in was involved in a car accident. Li Zhiyang was among the first staff to arrive at the scene and saw Zhu Jie lying in the wreckage. He rushed her to the nearest hospital without hesitation, ultimately saving her life. Of course, because of his dereliction of duty, he almost lost his job. Fortunately, media coverage at the time led to a promotion, a raise, and a transfer from her previous frontline position. When Zhu Jie regained consciousness, the first thing she did was propose to Li Zhiyang. Li Zhiyang couldn't refuse, and the two married after Zhu Jie recovered.
After marriage, Li Zhiyang's work and life seemed to take off. At work, he quickly met Secretary Xiong, who was then the county magistrate, and because he had aligned himself with the right person, he achieved in just eight years what others took 20 years to accomplish—rising from a section-level cadre to the director of the department-level office. He was promoted almost every four years, faster than a rocket.
Benefiting from his promotions, Li Zhiyang soon found his life subtly changing. First, his wealth increased almost exponentially. Previously, he eagerly awaited his monthly salary, but gradually, it became almost meaningless. Then, his home accumulated various coupons, cigarettes, alcohol, and other inexplicable gifts. Reluctantly, to store these items, he bought a villa in the suburbs. Later, he purchased several more apartments. Of course, to cover their tracks, they all used family members' names.
As the saying goes, "When one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs rise to heaven." Following Li Zhiyang's promotion, Zhu Jie gradually went from a low-level employee in a private company to a junior manager in a public institution. For Li Zhiyang, life was like living in a dream.
(II) Choosing to
live in this dream, his daily memories were filled with dazzling lights and extravagant lifestyles. Until Chief Prosecutor Liu arrived at Li Zhiyang's office with his men and publicly announced his double-regulation, the dream ended.
From heaven to hell, it only took a second. Then came endless questioning and demands for statements. Li Zhiyang refused to answer anything about himself, but faced with the irrefutable facts, all he could do was pray helplessly and offer feeble defenses.
After Li Zhiyang was expelled from the Party and dismissed from his post, Zhu Jie was also suspended without pay. Subsequently, the procuratorate seized all of Li Zhiyang's illegally obtained assets, including properties registered under his family's names. Only a low-rent apartment and a calculated sum of money were left for Zhu Jie.
In just three short months, Li Zhiyang regained his freedom, but he was now penniless. Coupled with the pressure of the investigation, although he hadn't turned gray overnight, the man in his thirties looked like a man in his fifties, and his health had deteriorated significantly.
A cigarette slowly burned out between Li Zhiyang's fingers, the smoke dissipating. The past was now just a memory; the next question was how to make a comeback. Thinking this, Li Zhiyang lit another cigarette.
Secretary Xiong was out of the question; it had been confirmed that he had been handed over to the judiciary and was undergoing trial. To put it bluntly, his political career was over.
What about the deputy secretaries of the municipal party committee? Aside from work-related interactions, they had virtually no personal relationship. If there was any personal connection, only Deputy Secretary Xie had a slight one. But Deputy Secretary Xie was about to retire. It's said that a plucked phoenix is no better than a chicken. Once someone leaves, the tea cools; there certainly wouldn't be much profit to be made there.
After much thought, if he only focused on the municipal party committee, he knew he wouldn't get a position there. Why not try to find a solution within the municipal government? A leadership position is out of the question, but he's already at such a high rank. As for a work position, it seems difficult to arrange. Thinking about this, Li Zhiyang now somewhat resents his rank. He used to be so eager to climb the ladder, but now, the higher the rank, the harder it is to get a job.
Within the municipal government, he does have some connections with Mayor Li. Last time, several municipal projects were approved through his reports to Secretary Xiong, so there's some relationship there! The transfer of Vice Mayor Shan's brother-in-law from auxiliary police to police officer was also handled through his connections with Director Wang of the Public Security Bureau. And then there's Vice Chairman Chen of the Municipal People's Political Consultative Conference, who was having extramarital affairs. It was through his efforts that these matters were all suppressed. And then there's the drunk driving case involving Director Lin's son at the Municipal Archives Bureau…
Li Zhiyang becomes increasingly excited as he thinks about it, never imagining he's done so much back then. Those bigwigs in the municipal government, all looking so respectable, each of them has a bunch of shady dealings behind their backs. Back when he followed Secretary Xiong, none of these petty scandals escaped his notice as Secretary Xiong's shadow.
However, knowing too much was a cardinal sin in officialdom. Now, he was a fallen tiger; who could guarantee that those officials, smiling to his face, wouldn't stab him in the back? As a shadow without a backer, what reason did he have to exist if his master was gone? Thinking this, Li Zhiyang felt a chill run down his spine.
From excitement to fear, Li Zhiyang grew increasingly disillusioned with officialdom. So, he decided to leave officialdom and try the business world. Back then, so many large companies hired him as a business consultant. Because of the national regulations prohibiting civil servants from engaging in commercial activities, he had to give up. However, those companies still paid him a substantial consulting fee every month. Now
, with nowhere else to turn, wasn't this an opportunity? But then again, since he was placed under investigation, which of those companies hadn't kept their distance? The consulting fees had all stopped. Businessmen are profit-driven; would they accept a nobody like him with no power or position? Even if he accepted it, what could he do? Thinking this way, he couldn't survive in the business world.
This wouldn't work, that wouldn't work! What should he do next? Li Zhiyang hadn't expected that he wouldn't be able to survive in this city anymore. The only thing he could do now was to leave the city temporarily and then make further plans. Yes! Leave this city first.
Thinking this, Li Zhiyang stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. His pale face was distorted with emotion.
A question suddenly arose in Li Zhiyang's mind: Where should he go?
(III) Following
Li Zhiyang turned his head and looked at the sleeping Zhu Jie. Zhu Jie was lying on her side on the bed, her hands clasped together under her head, a faint blush on her face and a slight smile. Li Zhiyang felt a pang of guilt; he hadn't expected that he couldn't even stay in this city anymore. He was going to have to make Zhu Jie suffer with him. Divorce, yes! Divorce Zhu Jie. He wanted to give her a better future; it was better than her suffering with him.
Thinking this, Li Zhiyang was overcome with sorrow. His nose stung, and tears streamed down his face. A man doesn't easily shed tears, so Li Zhiyang quickly wiped his eyes with his sleeve. He took several deep breaths, finally suppressing the grief.
After calming down a bit, Li Zhiyang turned to face Zhu Jie. A bitter smile played on his lips, his eyes filled with love, and he gently stroked Zhu Jie's cheek with his right hand, like a loving father caressing his child.
He didn't know how much time had passed before Li Zhiyang quietly got out of bed. He tiptoed to pick up his clothes from the floor and carefully dressed himself. Then, he picked up a pencil and a notepad from the bedside table and quickly began to write. Soon, he left a note.
Li Zhiyang glanced at Zhu Jie one last time, reluctant to leave, then tiptoed towards the door without looking back. Just as his right hand grasped the doorknob, he suddenly felt a pair of hands encircle his waist.
"Are you really going to leave me alone?" A familiar voice came from behind, tinged with sobs.
"I...you're awake?" Li Zhiyang involuntarily pulled his hand away from the doorknob, standing there frozen, his back to Zhu Jie. But it only took him a moment to go from panic to composure.
"Don't you want me anymore?" Zhu Jie didn't answer Li Zhiyang, but continued to sob as she asked.
"How could I? Silly boy." Li Zhiyang turned around and said gently to Zhu Jie.
"Then what do you mean by this?" Zhu Jie waved the note in her hand and asked.
"I...I don't want to drag you down!" Li Zhiyang looked at the note in Zhu Jie's hand, lowered his head, and said weakly.
"What do you mean by dragging me down? My life is yours, what am I afraid of dragging down?" Zhu Jie cried.
"No, I..." Li Zhiyang was speechless for a moment upon hearing this.
"If I was afraid of being implicated, I would have left you when you went in. Why would I have waited for you? If I was afraid of being implicated, could I have held on until now, enduring so much gossip? Waaah~" Zhu Jie became more and more agitated as she spoke, and suddenly lost control of her emotions, bursting into tears.
"Jie!" Li Zhiyang saw Zhu Jie crying bitterly, but didn't know how to comfort her. He could only stand there, helpless.
"I can lose everything, but! I can't lose you. Zhiyang, promise me you'll never leave me. Okay? I'm scared, I'm so scared of losing you." Zhu Jie cried for a while, speaking intermittently.
"Okay, okay, I won't leave you! I promise you: I'll never leave you. I swear, if I break this promise: may I be struck by lightning and suffer a terrible fate... Waaah..." Hearing Zhu Jie's cries, Li Zhiyang felt even more reluctant to let her go. He swore an oath to the heavens in front of Zhu Jie, but Zhu Jie stopped him with a hand.
"You must live well, even if you die, you can't die before me. Understand?" Zhu Jie felt both annoyed and amused by Li Zhiyang's expression, and couldn't help but laugh through her tears, coquettishly retorting.
"I'll listen to you, boss! I'll definitely live well. Jie, could you put on some clothes first? Be careful not to catch a cold!" Li Zhiyang pulled Zhu Jie into his arms, only realizing as he spoke that Zhu Jie hadn't put on any clothes when she rushed out .
"It's all your fault! Humph." Zhu Jie then realized she was still naked and blushed.
"Yes, yes, yes! It's my fault, my fault! Here, put your husband's clothes on first. Let's go back to bed!" Li Zhiyang released Zhu Jie and quickly took off his coat, draping it over her shoulders.
"Honey, I want a hug!" Zhu Jie felt a warmth in her heart as she put on Li Zhiyang's coat, and said coquettishly.
"Okay, okay, a loving hug!" Li Zhiyang replied with a smile, and gave Zhu Jie a princess carry.
"Ouch~" Before he could even lift Zhu Jie up, Li Zhiyang felt a darkness before his eyes. With Zhu Jie in tow, the two of them collapsed onto the floor.
"Ah~ Husband! Wake up~ Husband! Wake up~" Zhu Jie scrambled to her feet, recovering from her initial panic, and found Li Zhiyang lying limply on the floor. She was shocked and kept pushing him.
"It's nothing! Wife, I'm fine. I'm just too tired!" Li Zhiyang said weakly, lying on the floor.
"Husband, what's wrong? Don't scare me." Zhu Jie started sobbing again.
"I really~ really's fine. I've been under too much pressure lately, and my body can't take it. Let me lie here for a while, I'll be fine. It's okay~ Don't cry~ Wife!" Although Li Zhiyang didn't know what was wrong himself, he didn't want Zhu Jie to worry too much, so he jokingly comforted her.
"Husband! Then get up. If you're going to lie down, lie on the bed~ Come on! Let me help you." Zhu Jie knew Li Zhiyang too well; the more he said he was fine, the more suspicious she felt, so she tried to probe.
"Okay!" Li Zhiyang knew Zhu Jie was testing him. Although he didn't know what was going on, he didn't want Zhu Jie to worry. So he forced himself to stay awake and placed his right hand in Zhu Jie's.
"Husband! Get up slowly, be careful." Zhu Jie took Li Zhiyang's right hand, then bent down and crawled under his armpit. Using all her strength, she lifted Li Zhiyang up.
"Wife! Be careful." Li Zhiyang felt sorry for Zhu Jie and secretly used all his strength as well. Finally, with Zhu Jie's help, he stood up straight.
"It's okay, husband. Be careful, walk slowly." Zhu Jie was already covered in sweat, but she said gently to Li Zhiyang.
With Zhu Jie's help, Li Zhiyang staggered to the bed and lay down.
"Husband! What's wrong?" Zhu Jie asked anxiously after helping Li Zhiyang lie down and settle in.
"It's nothing, maybe the pressure inside was too much, and my body couldn't handle it. Plus, you wanted it three times just now, so my stamina is pretty much gone, right?" Li Zhiyang said with a smile
, trying to comfort Zhu Jie. "You're such a chatterbox! Honey, you should still go to the hospital to get checked out." Zhu Jie wasn't reassured by Li Zhiyang's words and asked worriedly.
"It's really nothing, don't worry! I just need to rest and recover." Li Zhiyang shook his head and said softly.
"Okay, I'll listen to you, honey. If you really can't take it anymore, then you must listen to me and go to the hospital for a checkup." Seeing Li Zhiyang's determination, Zhu Jie had no choice but to give in.
"Okay, I'll listen to my wife!" Li Zhiyang nodded, still feeling like he had many stars in front of him, and his head was a little dizzy.
"By the way, honey! You said we can't stay here any longer. Why?" Zhu Jie looked at Li Zhiyang, who seemed fine on the surface, and suddenly asked.
“Wife, I know so much about the business and political world from my previous position. Now that I have no backing, both sides want me dead. So, we can't stay here any longer; we have to go somewhere else,” Li Zhiyang said expressionlessly.
“Have you decided where to go?” Zhu Jie, understanding Li Zhiyang's concerns, asked again.
“I hadn't decided at first, but after you fussed over this, I have! Let's go south first. In economically developed areas, the government's functions are weaker. In economically underdeveloped areas, the government's functions are stronger,” Li Zhiyang said unhurriedly.
“What can we do in the south?” Zhu Jie asked again.
“We can work in factories or start our own small businesses,” Li Zhiyang said with a smile.
“Okay, I'll listen to you, husband! But now, you have to listen to me, husband. Get some rest and take good care of your health!” Zhu Jie said with a smile.
“Mmm~” Li Zhiyang nodded and smiled, and soon fell asleep.
(To be continued)
[Next update is tentatively scheduled for the evening of February 3, 2018]

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