Twenty minutes later, the car successfully entered the compound of the Provincial Party Committee after passing through the armed police on duty. Unlike the provincial government compound, this was originally the Commander-in-Chief's Office, which retained the antique architecture. After entering, the towering cedar trees on both sides of the road were awe-inspiring and solemn.
This was the highest authority in Xijiang Province. Orders were sent from here to every corner of the province. The majesty of power was invisible, not to mention the idea of centralization of power that had been formed for thousands of years.
The car stopped in front of a three-story building. Bai Zongfeng immediately got out of the car and walked quickly to a short man with Lu Yiwei. He greeted him respectfully, "Secretary General Tu."
This person was Tu Qiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and the Secretary General of the Provincial Party Committee. His role was similar to that of Bao Shuming, but the leader he served was of a higher level. Tu Qiang was not tall, about the same height as Zhang Zhiyuan. His eyes were small but focused. He said expressionlessly, "Did you bring him?"
Bai Zongfeng immediately turned around and said, "Yes, here he is."
Tu Qiang glanced sideways. Lu Yiwei was about to greet him, but Tu Qiang had already turned his head and said in a low voice, "Come up with me."
The office environment of the secretary of the Provincial Party Committee was nothing more than this. Even the office buildings of town leaders were four or five floors and decorated luxuriously. However, this building only had three floors, and the decoration was simple and plain. The stairs were still the same as they were in the 1980s, with cement steps and wooden handrails. It was impossible to imagine that this was the highest authority.
The building was not about its height, but about its power. It was precisely because Zhang Bingtong was here that the whole building was covered with a layer of mystery. The corridor was brightly lit, but there was no trace of anyone. It looked a little gloomy and terrifying, suffocating.
When they came to the door of an office, Tu Qiang signaled with his eyes to stop. He went in alone, and after a while, he came out and said, "Come in."
Lu Yiwei suddenly couldn't move his legs, as if his legs were nailed to the ground. After pressing his chest to calm his racing heart, he followed Bai Zongfeng and tiptoed in.
After entering, Tu Qiang pointed to the sofa on the side and said, "Please take a seat. Secretary Zhang is on the phone."
The two of them sat side by side. Bai Zongfeng was deep in thought, while Lu Yiwei tried hard to calm himself down. He quietly exhaled and rubbed his thighs nervously. His palms were sweaty, and even his back was wet. He didn't dare to lean against the back of the sofa and just sat there with his back straight.
He was fortunate enough to be summoned by Secretary Huang of the Provincial Party Committee, but he was not so nervous last time. Why was it like this? Perhaps it was because he was young and didn't know what fear was, but as he grew older and his status rose, he became more and more fearful of power. In other words, they cared more and more about losing.
The problem must lie in the script. He calculated the time. From the time it was sent to the mailbox until Bai Zongfeng called him, it had only been ten minutes. In such a short period of time, Zhang Bingtong had received the speech script, indicating that the Provincial Party Committee Secretariat had not had time to revise it. Could it be that his point of view was the same as Bao Shuming's, that he had not grasped the main theme of the meeting? He became more and more uncertain.
Waiting was the most torturous, especially when the other party was close at hand. In order to relieve his nervousness, Lu Yiwei looked around Zhang Bingtong's office. The room was not big, about the same size as Bai Zongfeng's. The layout was similar. Behind the desk was a bookcase, a huge painting of the Great Wall was hanging on the wall, and on the other side was a calligraphy work of "seeking truth from facts", signed by a big leader. The floor was covered with a dark red carpet, and the coffee table was spotless. There was almost no dust. Near the window were ginkgo trees, devil's ivy, and a pot of plum blossoms in full bloom. All kinds of documents were neatly stacked on the desk, and in the middle was a pair of reading glasses. Below the glasses, there was no surprise, was the speech script he had drafted.
The office was surprisingly quiet, so quiet that Bai Zongfeng's breathing could be heard. He was the most powerful person in the Municipal Party Committee Compound, but he was also very reserved here.
After waiting for about seven or eight minutes, the door on the side opened, and Zhang Bingtong and Tu Qiang walked out one after another. Bai Zongfeng immediately got up and slightly leaned forward to greet them. Lu Yiwei also stood up in a panic. Zhang Bingtong pressed his hands down, and with light steps, he sat in front of the desk. He put on his reading glasses and said, "How are the preparations for tomorrow's meeting?"
Bai Zongfeng hurriedly said, "It's almost ready."
"Oh."
There was no more "oh".
The three of them sat there with their own thoughts. Bai Zongfeng stared at Zhang Bingtong, and Tu Qiang seemed to be focused on the pattern on the floor. His bulging belly rose and fell with the sound of his breathing. Inadvertently, he met Lu Yiwei's eyes, and naturally looked away.
After waiting for a long time, the sound of Zhang Bingtong turning pages could be heard. Lu Yiwei carefully looked at him. His neatly combed hair was tilted to one side, and the top of his head was black with white on both sides. Under the two thick and dense sword-like eyebrows was a pair of deep and sharp eyes, and the nose of a lion. In the eyes of the ancients, this was the good fortune and official appearance. Through his facial expression, no emotions could be seen, and he was solemn and dignified.
His clothes were very ordinary. He wore a white shirt with a gray sweater vest, loose dark blue trousers, and a pair of casual black leather shoes. If one did not know that he was the Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, he would look more like a refined scholar.
Zhang Bingtong's resume was very inspiring. He was born in a small mountain village in Yunnan Province, and grew up as an educated youth. Step by step, he steadily became the Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee. But all the officials who reached this level had rich and colorful political achievements behind them.
Five minutes later, Zhang Bingtong closed the script, took off his reading glasses, and sat up. He said in a dignified manner, "Who wrote this?"
Bai Zongfeng immediately said, "Secretary Zhang, I arranged for the Secretary Department to draft it. It's all my fault. I should have personally reviewed it before handing it to you. I will take full responsibility."
Tu Qiang, who was beside him, also could not figure out the other party's attitude. He said, "Secretary Zhang, I also have responsibility. I should not have handed this work to Comrade Zongfeng."
Zhang Bingtong was not moved, and he said calmly, "Then who wrote it?"
Lu Yiwei could not sit still, and he did not know where he got the courage to stand up. He said, "Secretary Zhang, I wrote the script, and I am willing to take full responsibility. It has nothing to do with Secretary Bai."
Bai Zongfeng looked back at him and quickly explained, "He was the one who drafted it, but the responsibility is on me …"
"Alright, I did not say that I will hold you all responsible. What are you all acting like?" After that, his eagle-like eyes fell on Lu Yiwei, and he crossed his hands on the desk. After staring for a long time, he said, "What is your name, and what is your position?"
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