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

"Now you know you were wrong? Where the hell were you before? Keep hitting me!"

Hu Decheng said viciously.

Just as the group was about to make their move, a sharp shout rang out.

"stop!"

The crowd shone their flashlights over, and Jiang Yiming and Liu Xinbin instinctively covered their faces with their hands because of the bright light.

"Who the hell do you think you are, interfering in my business?"

Hu Decheng didn't recognize Liu Xinbin and continued, "If you don't want to die, get the hell out of here!"

"Hu Decheng, are you blind? You don't even recognize me and Secretary Jiang?"

Liu Xinbin said, "Quickly move the flashlight away."

Upon hearing Liu Xinbin's voice, Hu Decheng squinted and looked closely, then quickly laughed and said, "So it's Director Liu. I thought it was some hooligan."

Then he said to the people around him, "Are you all blind? Can't you see that it's Director Liu from the park? Quickly move the flashlight away."

The crowd hurriedly moved the lights from Jiang Yiming and the other man's faces to the ground.

"This is the newly appointed Party Secretary Jiang Yiming."

Liu Xinbin explained.

"So it's Secretary Jiang. I've wanted to visit you for a long time, but I heard you went to the city for training. I didn't expect you to be back already."

Hu Decheng strode forward, a smile plastered on his fleshy face. "Secretary Jiang, I am Hu Decheng, the Party Secretary and Village Director of Yunhu Village. What brings you to Yunhu Village so late?"

"Secretary Jiang didn't get back until around six o'clock today. After dinner, he suggested that we inspect each village to see if there were any problems."

Liu Xinbin pointed to the middle-aged man on the ground and asked, "What's going on here?"

"Oh, Director Liu, you don't know this, but this guy hasn't been handing over his grain on time. I've urged him several times, but he just won't hand it over. I had no choice but to go to his house to arrest him and teach him a lesson so that others won't follow suit."

"Boss, it's not that I don't want to pay, it's just that what they're charging is far beyond the county's standard."

The middle-aged man hurriedly said, "If we pay according to their standards, we have to pay 100 catties of grain per mu, and then sell them another 200 catties of grain under the unified purchase policy. Our family will not be able to survive."

“I paid what I was supposed to pay, but not what I wasn’t supposed to pay. As a result, they came to my house and robbed me. They even beat my wife. I had no choice but to fight back, and then they dragged me here and almost beat me to death. Please, please save me.”

Snapped!

Hu Decheng slapped him across the face: "Bullshit! If you keep spouting nonsense, I'll tear your mouth apart."

"stop!"

Jiang Yiming angrily rebuked, "Hu Decheng, no matter what mistake the other party made, you have no right to go to his house to steal things, let alone hit him!"

"Given that you are suspected of violating the law, I am formally relieving you of your duties. Further action will be taken after the investigation is completed!"

Upon hearing that Jiang Yiming wanted to dismiss him from his post, Hu Decheng showed no concern whatsoever, and laughed, "Secretary Jiang, you want to dismiss me? Hahaha, I told you you can't, do you believe me?"

He then ordered in front of Jiang Yiming, "Let him talk nonsense. Beat him until he fully realizes his mistake."

Three or five burly men attacked the middle-aged man again, completely disregarding the newly appointed Jiang Yiming.

Jiang Yiming clenched his fists, never expecting Hu Decheng to be so arrogant!

“Secretary Jiang, I advise you to stay away from us to avoid getting blood on you.”

Hu Decheng was arrogant and didn't take Jiang Yiming, the newly appointed secretary, seriously at all.

"Hu Decheng, if you don't make them stop, I'm calling the police!"

Jiang Yiming warned again.

Hu Decheng ignored Jiang Yiming again and continued, "Didn't you guys eat dinner tonight? Go all out! This is how you should be taught a lesson for those who don't pay their taxes on time!"

Just as Jiang Yiming took out his phone to call the police, the middle-aged man could no longer bear it and hurriedly begged for mercy, saying, "Secretary, I was wrong, I was really wrong. I shouldn't have talked nonsense just now. It was my fault for not paying the grain tax on time. It was my fault, it was my fault. You have the right to hit me. I will definitely find a way to make up for the remaining grain tax. Please let me go."

"You should say that to Secretary Jiang. He's planning to call the police to seek justice for you."

Hu Decheng laughed.

"Secretary Jiang, please don't call the police, please. It was my own fault for being greedy and deliberately going against the village. It's all my fault, it has nothing to do with the village, nothing to do with the Party Secretary, and nothing to do with you. Please stop meddling in my business, I beg you."

The middle-aged man immediately begged for mercy.

Only then did he realize that Hu Decheng did not take the newly appointed secretary seriously at all. If he said anything more, what could he do but get beaten up?

He had no choice but to face reality.

"I will see this matter through to the end."

Jiang Yiming said in a deep voice, "Hu Decheng, be at the Management Committee meeting at nine o'clock sharp tomorrow."

He knew that calling the police was pointless.

After all, the victim didn't admit to being beaten, so calling the police was useless; otherwise, Hu Decheng wouldn't have been so arrogant.

"In what capacity did I go?"

Hu Decheng laughed and asked, "Will I be relieved of my post?"

"waived!"

Jiang Yiming said in a deep voice: "You are attending the meeting as a party member who has made a mistake!"

After saying that, he ignored Hu Decheng and returned to the management committee with Liu Xinbin.

At 8:15 the next day, all the cadres and staff of the park were already seated in the conference room of the management committee.

At 8:30, Jiang Yiming walked in, accompanied by Zhao Zhenlin and Su Yun, the head of the cadre section.

After giving his opening remarks, Du Weizhong, the host, handed the microphone to Zhao Zhenlin.

"Comrades, after careful investigation and visits by the Organization Department, and in-depth research and discussion by the Standing Committee of the County Party Committee, Jiang Yiming has been appointed as the Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee and Deputy Director of the Xinping County Industrial Park, to take full charge of the park's work. We warmly welcome him."

After a round of enthusiastic applause, Zhao Zhenlin continued, “Jiang Yiming’s appointment was made by the county party committee after a comprehensive investigation and research, fully promoting democracy, widely following the mass line, and carefully listening to opinions from all sides. Now, based on the opinions of the county party committee, I would like to offer some hopes and requirements to everyone… First, we must quickly unify our thinking and reach a consensus. Second, we must consciously obey the leadership and follow arrangements. Third, we must cherish our positions and work hard. Fourth, we must earnestly promote unity and maintain integrity and diligence in our duties.”

"Finally, I wish Comrade Jiang Yiming new and greater achievements in his new position, and I wish the industrial park continued good progress. Under the leadership of the new leadership team, may you unite, be pragmatic, forge ahead, seize the momentum, achieve new successes, and create new glories! Thank you all!"

This was followed by Jiang Yiming's statement.

"I am grateful for the organization's recognition of me, for Minister Zhao's visit, and for the support of my colleagues in the park. I will only make three points today."

"First, I will emphasize unity. I will maintain the unity of the park's leadership team and build our industrial park's workforce into a united and progressive force. Second, I will emphasize integrity. During my term, I will focus on addressing corruption and resolutely remove any bad elements from our ranks. Third, I will emphasize development. Only when the economy develops will the people not go hungry. Our goal is to ensure that the people do not lack food and clothing!"

"I assure you all that during my term, I will quadruple the economy of the industrial park. That concludes my remarks. Thank you!"

His simple and unadorned words drew rounds of applause.

"I object!"

However, at that moment, a discordant voice rang out.