The Official Ladder: I ascend to the pinnacle of power, wielding the power of life and death.

Not only are there overwhelming accusations and doubts online, but residents around the proposed site of the Dongyuan Chemical Project have also taken to the streets to spontaneously organize environmental protests.

However, without any instigation, nearly a hundred ordinary citizens gathered in front of the Yongchang District government building, holding banners and demanding that the district government immediately halt the approval of the Dongyuan Chemical Project, disclose all environmental impact assessment data, and accept public scrutiny. The crowd was restrained but resolute, demanding a formal response from the government within 24 hours.

Yongchang District urgently reported the situation to the Jiangcheng Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government.

Upon learning of this, Jiang Yiming immediately issued instructions to Fei Liangcai, the Party Secretary of Yongchang District.

"Comrade Liangcai, you must pay attention to the reasonable demands of the masses, disclose information in accordance with laws and regulations, do a good job in communication and explanation, and never escalate the conflict."

Jiang Yiming said, "Dongyuan Chemical Group was shut down in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces due to environmental issues. We must learn from this lesson and never repeat the same mistake. I suggest you report to Secretary Lei to suspend cooperation with Dongyuan Chemical Group, conduct a new environmental impact assessment, and widely solicit opinions from experts and the public. Only by truly prioritizing ecological safety can the project stand the test of time and gain the trust and support of the people."

"Mayor, the Standing Committee meeting made it very clear that this is a project that Jiangcheng City worked hard to attract. How can we just stop it like that? We are counting on it to drive our GDP growth target next year. How can we explain this to the overall development of the city and how can we complete the annual assessment tasks for Yongchang District if we stop cooperation now?"

Fei Liangcai said, "Besides, it's only a minority of people who are against it. We can't deny the great significance of the entire project just because of the opinions of a minority."

"Of course, rest assured, I will handle the work with the masses well and ensure overall stability. I will absolutely not cause any trouble for the municipal party committee and government."

"Comrade Liangcai, we cannot take this matter lightly. Although it is only a small number of people protesting, it does not mean that other people have no doubts. On the contrary, it shows that problems have been quietly accumulating. Only by responding to concerns in a timely manner can we prevent small problems from escalating into a major crisis."

Jiang Yiming said sternly, "We must not allow small problems to escalate into major crises. Your Yongchang District must raise awareness, prioritize the demands of the people, and earnestly fulfill its local responsibilities."

"Yes, Mayor, I know what to do."

Fei Liangcai said somewhat impatiently, "I have urgent matters to attend to here. I will report to you in person after I finish here."

After saying that, he hung up the phone and called Lei Liang instead.

"Secretary Lei, due to the influence of news reports from Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, some people have misunderstood the Dongyuan Chemical Project, resulting in a small number of people gathering in front of the district government to express their demands. The situation is currently stable, and we have arranged personnel to guide and explain the situation to the crowd and persuade them to leave as soon as possible."

Fei Liangcai reported.

"I have received this message. You must do a good job of persuading the public to ensure that no excessive behavior occurs and to maintain the government's image and social stability. Of course, the project cannot be easily shaken. This is a major investment project that has been collectively decided by the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee. It is related to the city's economic development and must be resolutely promoted and implemented. We cannot waver in our determination to develop the project because of the opposition of a few people. You must strike a good balance, both to maintain stability and to ensure that the project's progress is not affected. You must explain the policies and the pros and cons to the public, but you must not compromise on the project."

"Please rest assured, Secretary, I will definitely follow your instructions and will never allow the project to be obstructed."

Fei Liangcai quickly expressed his opinion.

Subsequently, Fei Liangcai simply summoned a deputy district head and instructed him to go to the site to handle the matter, while he himself would proceed with his itinerary to other cities and prefectures for investment promotion.

However, the deputy district head's handling of the situation was simplistic and heavy-handed, merely dispatching urban management officers to disperse the crowd. This led to a temporary loss of order, with several people clashing physically with law enforcement officers. An elderly person fell and was injured during the scuffle, sparking strong dissatisfaction among onlookers. The news quickly spread on social media, with related videos being widely shared in a short period, and public opinion continuing to escalate.

That evening, protesters gathered again, their numbers several times larger than before, demanding an explanation from the district government.

The emergency response office activated the major emergency response mechanism overnight, and Jiang Yiming ordered the Yongchang District Party Committee and District Government to immediately control the situation.

Lei Liang also learned of the news and personally called Fei Liangcai, speaking sternly: "Fei Liangcai, what are you good for? You can't even handle this little thing. Now things have blown up. You'd better find a way to put this out of the fire."

"Secretary, I'm on my way back and expect to arrive within an hour. I've already sent Tongwei to the scene, and the police and petition staff have all rushed there to maintain order and are doing their best to manage the situation."

Fei Liangcai cautiously said, "Secretary, I think this matter has a significant impact. How about we follow Mayor Jiang's suggestion and suspend the Dongyuan Chemical Project first, and then resume related work after the public opinion has calmed down?"

"Nonsense! Backing down now is tantamount to bowing to rumors and will only embolden unreasonable demands."

Lei Liang angrily rebuked, "The project must not be stopped; it must be pushed forward. We must not let short-term troubles shake our long-term strategy. You get here immediately and do everything you can to calm things down, but you are absolutely not allowed to compromise on the project."

"Yes, Secretary, I will resolutely carry out your instructions."

Fei Liangcai quickly expressed his opinion.

After hanging up the phone, Fei Liangcai urged, "Drive faster."

The driver silently increased his speed.

The secretary handed over a bottle of mineral water: "Secretary, have some water to get rid of the smell of alcohol. Here's a mask; you can wear it to cover yourself. The situation is complicated, and you just came back from a drinking party, so please be mindful of your image."

Fei Liangcai took the bottled water and drank several large gulps, then put on his mask, straightened his tie, and looked out the window with a solemn expression.

the other side.

Lei Liang rushed from his home to the Jiangcheng Municipal Party Committee compound and convened a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee.

If the municipal party committee doesn't convene a meeting and take action in a timely manner regarding such a major matter, and an uncontrollable situation arises, it indicates that the municipal party committee did not take it seriously, and the consequences will be more severe.

However, if a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee is convened and problems arise, it means that the implementation at the lower levels is ineffective, and the responsibility of the Municipal Party Committee is thus decomposed and transferred.

The meeting reported on the situation of the mass gathering in Yongchang District and the progress of the incident handling.

"This situation indicates that there are still shortcomings in our work with the masses. We must reflect deeply on this and learn from it. I have already called and instructed the main leaders of the Yongchang District Party Committee and government to stay at their posts, take the lead in command, and earnestly shoulder their local responsibilities. We must resolve conflicts as soon as possible in accordance with laws and regulations, properly respond to the reasonable demands of the masses, and resolutely safeguard the overall social stability."

Lei Liang said, "I propose that a municipal party committee supervision team be established, with Secretary Zhang Lei as the team leader, to go to Yongchang District to supervise the handling of the incident and ensure that all measures are implemented effectively. We must resolve the conflict in a timely manner and prevent the situation from escalating further. Director Wang Zuo, your public security bureau should arrange for a deputy director to lead a team to the scene to increase support for Yongchang District, strengthen police deployment, and resolutely take coercive measures against those who incite trouble and maliciously spread rumors. We will never allow them to cross the legal line."

"Does anyone have any further comments?"

The members of the Standing Committee present nodded in agreement, and no one raised any objections.

Jiang Yiming spoke up: "Secretary, the situation has become very complicated, and it's nighttime. If we're not careful, it could trigger a mass conflict. We must handle this with utmost care. To avoid escalation, I suggest we halt cooperation with the Dongyuan Chemical project and immediately announce the decision to suspend the project to the public, as a sincere response to the public's concerns."

"Mayor Yiming, as city leaders, we cannot back down and compromise when faced with problems. We must be courageous in tackling tough challenges. If we compromise and back down every time we encounter problems, how can we get our work done? Does that mean that if any policy is formulated in the future, we will overturn it entirely if there is opposition from the masses? Then what about development? What about reform?"

Lei Liang said unhappily, "The contradictions among the masses must be resolved, but we cannot sacrifice the overall development in order to resolve the contradictions, and we cannot easily waver in our established decisions in the face of pressure."

"This is not a concession, but rather an attempt to buy time and gain public understanding and support. The primary task at present is to stabilize the situation and prevent the conflict from escalating. Only by quelling public grievances can we create conditions for subsequent work."

Jiang Yiming argued his case logically.

"Resolving conflicts cannot rely solely on concessions; it also requires legal guidance and orderly mediation. We must adhere to principles and, while safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of the people, firmly uphold the bottom line of policies."

Lei Liang said, "Let's not talk about distant examples. Take the waste incineration plant project in Linjiang City a while ago, for instance. Didn't you not stop the project because of the public's petitions? In the end, you still managed to calm the situation and smoothly advance the subsequent construction. The key is proper handling and effective response. It has nothing to do with whether you back down or not."

"Alright, does anyone have any other opinions? If not, it's settled then. The supervisory team will depart immediately, and the police will be in place right away to ensure a smooth transition tonight. We must be meticulous and thorough in our work with the public, and our publicity and public opinion efforts must keep pace, explaining the policies clearly and the reasons behind them. We must have the courage to face problems head-on, and also the wisdom to resolve conflicts. Any progress must be reported to me immediately. Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, I will personally hear a report on the progress."

Seeing this, Jiang Yiming didn't say much.

After all, Lei Liang was the top leader, and the members of the municipal party committee standing committee present all remained silent. The meeting was ultimately set in accordance with Lei Liang's instructions.

After the inspection team set off, Jiang Yiming stood alone by the window, gazing at the dark sky, feeling uneasy.

He was very worried about whether Yongchang District could handle this mass gathering incident properly.

After all, the city and Yongchang District have taken a very firm stance and have no intention of compromising on the project.

Although Lei Liang used the example of the Linjiang City waste incineration plant to illustrate that the problem could be properly resolved, he knew that these were two different things. Moreover, he arrived in time and it was daytime, so the situation was easier to control.

Furthermore, he enjoyed the deep trust of the people, so they were willing to listen to him and believed he could uphold justice. His patient persuasion also helped to finally calm the situation. However, this project in Yongchang District involved a wider range of people, a more intense public sentiment, and occurred at night, allowing information to spread rapidly; any misstep could have triggered a chain reaction.

However, he cannot directly intervene in this matter for the time being, since the district-level government is responsible for handling it, and he cannot arbitrarily bypass the proper channels.

If he goes, even if he handles it well, it will be interpreted as the city's distrust of district-level decision-making. This will cause resentment in both Lei Liang and Yongchang District, affecting future work collaboration.

Not to mention, if things go wrong, the blame will definitely be placed on him, with accusations of premature intervention and overstepping his authority. Even if his intentions were for the public good, it could easily be misinterpreted as him trying to take credit and shift blame, which would ultimately harm the overall situation.

He can only hope that Yongchang District can grasp the right measure, handle the current situation prudently, and resolve the conflict in a timely manner.

When Fei Liangcai arrived at the scene, he was overwhelmed by the sheer number of people.

But as the top leader, he had to handle it personally.

However, the saying "drinking leads to trouble" is not an exaggeration. He drank a bit too much tonight and spoke without thinking, which ultimately led to a serious mistake.

The words "You're just making a fuss for nothing" were blurted out, instantly igniting the crowd and causing them to completely lose control of their emotions.