Chapter 29

"Everyone who went drinking at Dream Paris last night, stand up," Yan Zhao commanded sternly.0Lv Liang hesitantly stood up, Yan Bin kicked his chair back and also stood, and the chief of Yanguan Police Station took off his hat.0

Sun Nutao slammed the table and said, "This is outrageous. You all know the consequences for police officers engaging in prostitution - disciplinary action, and in serious cases, dismissal from your posts."0

"That's too lenient. Expel them all from the Party," said Yan Zhao.0

The whole room erupted in an uproar. Everyone sat up straight with angry expressions.0

Even Sun Nutao felt a bit afraid: "Captain Yan, isn't that too harsh?" They were all part of the same system, and causing such a commotion when they had just arrived didn't seem wise. It was a government matter, and they shouldn't provoke anyone to harbor resentment and seek private revenge.0

Lv Liang slammed his hat on the table. Chen Gang kicked his chair aside and stormed out, cursing, "It's just a lousy police job anyway. I quit! I'm going into business. I'll make your annual salary in one night."0

Yan Zhao turned to Xiong Xiangdang from the Criminal Investigation Department: "Xiong Xiangdang, what are you waiting for? Arrest them."0

The Criminal Investigation Department was the poorest, with no extra income. Xiong Xiangdang despised the Inspection team the most. He shouted in a booming voice: "Yes, sir!"0

Was he really going to make arrests?0

The Criminal Investigation team swiftly handcuffed several of the leaders.0

Of course, actually expelling them from the Party would require approval from higher-ups. For now, they were all put in detention.0

Yan Xishan was in Yan Zhao's office. Sensing something was amiss, he made a quick call to Fan Zhenhua, Fan Xiang's son who worked at the city bureau. Deputy Bureau Chief Ma of Jindong Road Division had been promoted on his recommendation. He asked him to intervene and find a way to resolve the situation.0

The first step was to send gifts and pull strings to diffuse the incident. Even coal bosses wouldn't resort to hiring people to deliberately crash into someone unless they were completely desperate.0

Lv Liang, Yan Bin, Deputy Bureau Chief Ma and those nouveau riche were all cut from the same cloth.0

If no one investigated, nothing would come of it. But if a real investigation happened, they'd all be found crawling with lice.0

After the call, Yan Xishan slipped away in the chaos.0

Meanwhile, Yan Zhao was chatting with Yan Bin in the detention room.0

Yan Zhao's objectives were clear. First, the son of Teacher Huang from the village, a student capable of getting into Tsinghua or Peking University, had been killed in a hit-and-run. To date, the culprit hadn't been found. Yan Zhao suspected it was done by Yan Xishan's subordinates, since he had the most coal trucks, most of which drove without license plates at night.0

This case had been handled by the Jindong Road Division. He wanted to know if it was Yan Xishan's people who did it, and if not, who actually did it.0

Secondly, the nouveau riche had bribed the police officers. Yan Zhao needed someone to testify so he could arrest them.0

Arresting a bunch of nouveau riche might quiet things down for a few days, but that behavior was like wildfire - it couldn't be completely extinguished and would sprout again with the spring breeze.0

But stemming corrupt practices, even if only for a few months, was necessary. They had to do it.0

However, how could police officers who had accepted bribes possibly confess? They could only keep their mouths shut to get through this, otherwise they'd face dismissal and expulsion from the Party.0

Yan Bin had also been a soldier and had earned military honors. Yan Zhao wanted him to be a witness to misconduct. In that case, he wouldn't be expelled, just demoted - giving him a chance to reform.0

"Third Brother, Xishan is our brother. Overloading trucks and giving bribes, yes, that's happened - it's for making money, you know. But you're saying his truck killed someone? That's not possible. If it was him, I'd be the first one not to let him off," said Yan Bin.0

Seeing Yan Zhao remain silent, he continued: "I've long wanted to take off this green uniform. I have nothing more to say. Go ahead and expel me. I'll resign, go into business, do something big."0

Yan Zhao replied, "Very well."0

Yan Bin kicked the chair away: "No one in this whole bureau wants to stay anymore. Everyone's thinking about quitting. Go ask around, see who'll still listen to you."0

If they weren't investigated, they took bribes. If they were investigated, they quit to go into business. Being a police officer had become a profession of making a quick buck and leaving.0

But Yan Bin wasn't in a hurry. Someone was bound to get anxious, like Deputy Bureau Chief Ma.0

Talking about resigning was just blowing off steam. The salary was low, but their under-the-table income was high.0

Yan Xishan had Fan Zhenhua work out a strategy, then Fan Zhenhua passed it on to Deputy Bureau Chief Ma. By the afternoon, Deputy Bureau Chief Ma came to plead for the police officers.0

"Captain Yan, do you have a moment? Can we talk?" Deputy Bureau Chief Ma said with a smile.0

Yan Zhao pointed to the chair opposite him: "Have a seat, Deputy Chief Ma."0

Deputy Chief Ma took off his hat, revealing a balding head. He rubbed it, pointing to the scratch marks: "Your sister-in-law did this. All over a color TV. She nearly beat me to death last night. Isn't that infuriating?"0

"Then buy one," said Yan Zhao.0

"Buying a TV takes money. One costs 4,800 - that's our annual salary. She wants me to quit and go into business, but how can I abandon my police work? If I leave, who'll do our police work?"0

"You certainly carry a lot of weight in our division," Yan Zhao replied.0

Deputy Chief Ma leaned in closer, sliding over a delivery slip. He said in a low voice: "You're smarter than me, younger too. You have a future and understand more than I do in many ways. Many things should be overlooked - turn a blind eye. If you investigate so forcefully, what if all the subordinates quit? Do we want to be generals without an army? Besides, there's no need to be so rigid about government affairs, right? What if someone seeks private revenge? We all have wives and children. Aren't you afraid of retaliation? Take a step back, and the sea becomes boundless."0

Yan Zhao looked at the delivery slip, which listed one Phoenix Brand Simmons mattress to be picked up from the state-run department store. He sat up straight: "Deputy Chief Ma, you're not trying to give me a gift, are you? I have a bad temper. Whoever tries to bribe me, I'll send them to jail."0

Was this man an idiot?0

A thousand miles for an official post, all for wealth - did he think police work was like carrying a gun on the front lines at Laoshan?0

Why hadn't the Vietnamese bullets blown his wooden head to pieces?0

"How is this a bribe? It's a wedding gift from me, Lv Liang, Yan Bin, and everyone else. You just got married - how can you start a life without a bed?"0

"So it's not just you, but all of you trying to bribe me collectively?" Yan Zhao retorted.0

Deputy Chief Ma slapped the table and said, "This is just how the job has to be done nowadays. Police are people too. Having drinks and meals with acquaintances is perfectly normal. You can't expel them from the Party just for that."0

Party membership affected their salary - it would be cut in half, plus demotion. Without leadership positions, they'd lose their under-the-table income.0

"So they can eat, drink, and visit prostitutes with the nouveau riche, but I can't manage them?" Yan Zhao countered.0

"If you dare to, they'll all resign. You want to be a general without an army?"0

The Inspection team plus Yanguan Police Station had over a dozen officers. Could he really dismiss them all at once?0

Forget whether the higher-ups would allow it - how could he do the work if everyone was fired?0

This man wasn't just stupid, he was a joke.0

Deputy Chief Ma couldn't be bothered with him anymore. Giving gifts, my ass. Everyone would resign together and make a fuss about Yan Zhao at the city bureau, kicking him out.0

He stood up and was about to leave in a huff when Yan Zhao suddenly grabbed his wrist: "Too late, Deputy Chief Ma. First, explain who gave you the receipt for this Simmons mattress."0

"Hey, I bought it myself. What's it to you? You have no right to interfere!"0

"You just said you couldn't even afford a TV. Now you can suddenly afford to buy me a bed?" The hand that had held a gun was different - no matter how Deputy Chief Ma struggled, he firmly held the other's hand.0

Just then, Sun Nutao heard the argument and came over to see what was happening.0

Yan Zhao simply undid his own handcuffs and cuffed Deputy Chief Ma instead: "Chief Sun, Deputy Chief Ma tried to bribe me with an amount exceeding 5,000 yuan. He should be arrested immediately."0

There was a threshold for bribery - below 5,000 yuan only required criticism, but above 5,000 meant detention.0

This bed was just over 5,000 yuan.0

"You fool, it's just one month in detention. As soon as I'm out, I'm going into business," Deputy Chief Ma shouted as he was being handcuffed. Once out of the office, he started cursing loudly: "Businessmen make 80,000 to 100,000 a month. My monthly salary is 480. I'm living on cabbage but dreaming of powder. I quit!"0

The depth of corruption in this division became clear as soon as Deputy Chief Ma said he was quitting. People from various departments started streaming in to see Bureau Chief Sun, some asking for unpaid leave, some for sick leave or personal leave, and others simply resigning.0

Sun Nutao had worked in military staff operations. Seeing over a dozen police officers collectively going on strike, he also panicked. He arranged for them not to leave that night, saying they needed to hold a mobilization meeting with Yan Zhao.0

Sun Nutao's intention was, of course, to have Yan Zhao persuade everyone that as long as they didn't accept bribes and worked diligently, past mistakes would be forgiven and they just needed to do their jobs well.0

But with Lv Liang and Yan Bin in confinement, the minor leaders of various departments weren't fools. If they didn't go on strike now, the leaders' fate today would be theirs tomorrow.0

One by one, they sat slouched, smoking and chatting idly, none of them taking Yan Zhao and Sun Nutao seriously.0

"Comrades, is there anyone else who doesn't want to work or wishes to resign?" Yan Zhao asked bluntly as soon as he entered.0

People exchanged glances, and several hands were raised hesitantly.0

In the history of Hua Country, this was the era when the most public servants left their posts to enter the private sector, and also the easiest time for them to do so. Everyone dreamed of going into business, as there were too many nouveau riche, stirring people's hearts and making it impossible to focus on work.0

It was also the only era when leaders had to beg and plead to keep their staff.0

"Do you all read the newspapers? Do you know how many people were cut in the massive military downsizing?" Yan Zhao asked again.0

...0

"Do you know how many veterans at the front lines could only fill their stomachs with snow and beans for three or four consecutive years, barely escaping with their lives from the hail of bullets, only to receive demobilization notices as soon as they left the battlefield, forced to return home with just a few hundred yuan in resettlement fees?" Yan Zhao questioned further.0

In the 1988 million-man military downsizing, only a few tens of thousands out of a million soldiers were given jobs. The rest were sent home to fend for themselves because after ten years of war with Vietnam, the country was out of money, but the military was severely overstaffed and had to be reduced.0

How many veterans were dissatisfied, how many wanted to make trouble, and how many wanted to stay in the army? Yan Zhao was the first in his regiment to transfer to civilian work, because only his transfer could quell everyone's anger.0

The police remained lazy and scattered. Those soldiers were pitiful, with no allowances or wages.0

Heroes on the battlefield were now unemployed at home and amounted to nothing, but what did that have to do with them?0

"Our regiment has thousands of people waiting for job placements. If you resign early, you'll make room for those who need work. I'll send you off with my blessings, wishing you great success and early prosperity." After saying this, Yan Zhao left abruptly.0

The group of police officers slowly straightened up in their seats.0

They complained that 400 yuan a month was too little, but those heroes coming down from the smoky battlefields couldn't even afford milk powder for their children. They would cry for this job.0

This was the stark reality.0

The newly appointed official, Yan Zhao, didn't just make a one-time show of force.0

Lv Liang, Yan Bin, and several others were all dismissed from their posts and expelled from the Party. Those who had submitted resignation requests were all forwarded to the city bureau for approval.0

He transferred several company-level cadres he had previously led, currently unemployed at home, directly parachuting them in. At the Jindong Road Police Station, he now had several capable lieutenants.0

Oh, and there was also Yan Xishan.0

Although the truck accident hadn't been solved yet, bribery was still a serious crime.0

The person who really betrayed Yan Xishan, probably beyond even Yan Xishan's imagination, turned out to be Deputy Bureau Chief Ma.0

He had shouted the loudest, screaming about resigning, but then turned around and privately approached Bureau Chief Sun, apologized, voluntarily admitted his mistakes, and then ratted out everyone in the bureau who had accepted bribes from the nouveau riche.0

So although he caused several police officers to resign, he somehow landed safely.0

The investigation concluded, and the arrest warrants for the nouveau riche, especially Yan Xishan, were ready by the afternoon of the third day. Sun Nutao had gone to a meeting at the city bureau and would sign upon his return. Yan Zhao left the arrest warrants on Sun Nutao's desk and prepared to go home.0 Searᴄh the nôvelFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

After working overtime for three days, of course Little Liu had to drive Yan Zhao home.0

Today, Yan Zhao's dramatic actions had removed so many people from top to bottom.0

Not to mention everyone in the police station was trembling with fear, Deputy Bureau Chief Ma, though resentful and hateful inside, was outwardly trembling too, calling on everyone in private to find a way to take down Yan Zhao, but on the surface, he was extremely conscientious in his work attitude.0

The driver, Little Liu, was also quite scared.0

Because he had once finished off a large bottle of Yan Zhao's Coke, he was afraid Yan Zhao might seek revenge.0

However, when Captain Yan got in the car, he seemed very relaxed and even took the initiative to say, "Little Liu, put on some music. I've been in the army for so many years, I don't know what people listen to nowadays."0

Little Liu immediately turned on the radio. This was his own recorded tape, and the first song was by Cui Jian, a favorite of all men. The radio immediately started playing, "I've been asking endlessly, when will you come with me..."0

But as soon as the song started, Yan Zhao said, "Turn off the music."0

So Captain Yan doesn't like rock music?0

Little Liu quickly turned off the music.0

In fact, Yan Zhao hadn't been listening to the music at all. Of course, his grim expression wasn't because of the music, but because he suddenly saw Zhou Xueqin.0

The car was just passing a bus stop, and Zhou Xueqin and her new husband Lu Jingyu were standing there waiting for the bus.0

In a fleeting glance, Yan Zhao saw Zhou Xueqin holding a stack of bonds, talking about something with Lu Jingyu. As the car passed, he heard Lu Jingyu say, "You really are a lucky charm for your husband, everything you buy turns a profit."0

"We've made a whole five thousand yuan, shall we go to the state-owned department store to buy a spring mattress?" Zhou Xueqin said enthusiastically.0

Yan Zhao couldn't hear what Lu Jingyu said in response.0

But he was embracing Zhou Xueqin, smiling brilliantly as they squeezed onto the bus.0

A few days ago, Zhou Xueqin had called Yan Zhao to borrow money, which he didn't lend. It seems she had made money now.0

This was actually not bad. Zhou Xueqin's biggest grievance against Yan Zhao was that he didn't know how to make money. Now that she had found a man who could make money, she wouldn't keep pestering him to borrow money.0

In the blink of an eye, the car had arrived outside the state-owned department store.0

At this moment, the department store's loudspeakers were also playing music, still the flirtatious and sweet Hong Kong and Taiwan songs.0

"Men love to be romantic, women love to be pretty, without knowing it, I fell for you... Want to be charming even with a wife, want to be afraid of getting old even with charm." This was also a song often played in nightclubs.0

"Little Liu, stop the car," Yan Zhao suddenly said.0

Little Liu thought to himself, no way, the outwardly serious Captain Yan actually likes this kind of coy Hong Kong accent?0

Did he ask to stop the car because he likes listening to this kind of song?0

Little Liu quickly slammed on the brakes, wanting to ask what was wrong with Captain Yan, but Yan Zhao had already gotten out of the car and walked far away.0

Outside the state-owned store, there was a large-scale promotional event for Ximei Mattresses.0

"Ximei Mattresses, unbreakable even after a thousand hammerings."0

"Welcome everyone to come and hammer the beds, our mattresses can't be broken even after a thousand hits."0

Sure enough, the scene was packed with people, many fighting for a chance to hammer the mattresses.0

Who wouldn't want to take a swing at a five or six thousand yuan spring mattress? Even reporters from the newspaper came to cover this event, and Ximei Furniture Factory even made it into the paper.0

From the department store, there was an endless stream of people carrying mattresses on their shoulders, no longer just the Phoenix Brand, but the locally produced Ximei brand.0

Yan Zhao looked up at the big characters of the state-owned department store and stood still.0

Zou Jie had promised Chen Meilan that once they sold ten beds, she would give her one.0

Yan Zhao needed to count how many of these thousand-hammer-proof Ximei mattresses had been sold.0

However, after standing at the entrance of the department store for just a moment, as luck would have it, he saw Zhou Xueqin and Lu Jingyu arm in arm, about to enter the store.0

"It's a pity we only made two thousand yuan. If I could get another six thousand, we could make even more."0

Lu Jingyu said, "This is already very good. You really are a lucky charm for your husband!"0

Yan Zhao's footsteps faltered: Could she be talking about his six thousand yuan bonus?0