Reborn as a Noble’s Son
Chapter 1185 - Chapter 1185 Chapter 1141 Standing Committee Meeting

Chapter 1185: Chapter 1141: Standing Committee Meeting Chapter 1185: Chapter 1141: Standing Committee Meeting At about five fifty in the afternoon, Nie Zhenbang’s motorcade appeared at the entrance of the Longxi Provincial Committee’s compound, and the speed of the cars had already slowed down.

The police car sent from Qinglin County, Shian City, stopped by the side of the compound, the doors opened, and two uniformed officers got out, stood to the side, saluted, and then, the car turned around and left. Judging by this, it seemed that the police car had to return to Qinglin County today.

At the gate, the armed police sentries, standing erect, also saluted side by side, and at the same time, performed the eyes-right salute, watching the motorcade slowly drive into the Provincial Committee compound.

Nie Zhenbang’s motorcade belonged not just to any head of the Longxi Provincial Committee, but his identity was particularly distinct from typical heads of provincial committees. As a member of the leadership, Nie Zhenbang’s position in the Party had already reached a level akin to that of a deputy national leader.

At this moment, at the entrance of the Provincial Committee and Provincial Government building, the permanent members of the Provincial Committee, except for the two who followed their own, Liu Xiaomin and Wei Haoyang, and also Zhang Fangwen from the Organization Department were not present. It was completely understandable for Zhang Fangwen to be absent; presumably, Chen Tao should have already arrived by now. As the Deputy Minister of the Central Organization Department, he was Zhang Fangwen’s superior, so it made sense for Zhang Fangwen to go and receive him.

At the gate, the Provincial Committee team had already adopted a posture of welcoming and waiting. The permanent members were quietly discussing among themselves, after all, the sudden accident of a provincial minister-level leader was too shocking.

Before this, such an incident had occurred only once in Bashu Province. The motorcade stopped, and Nie Zhenbang was the first to step out.

By this time, the waiting permanent members had already stopped their previous exchanges. Some people had already started to speak up.

“Secretary Nie has returned. Let’s see what Secretary Nie has to say,” someone remarked.

“Secretary Nie!”

“Secretary, you must be tired from the journey. Your inspection was interrupted, and this is really…” Liu Zhentao also came up to greet him, and the two shook hands, with Liu Zhentao extending both hands, fully reflecting his mood and state of mind at the moment.

Waving his hand dismissively, Nie Zhenbang said in a somber voice, “Zhentao, let’s not talk about that. With such a major incident occurring, I couldn’t just sit idle down there. As for the inspection, there will be other chances in the future. What’s the current situation like?”

Li Hongyi’s sudden accident had broken the current overall pattern of Longxi Province. From the impact perspective, in a place where even the safety of a major leader’s life can’t be guaranteed, what would the higher-ups think? This reflects poorly on local traffic management. Clearly, local work must be a complete mess.

At this moment, Liu Zhentao’s mind became fully focused. He genuinely sensed the power of the mantle of hierarchy that Nie Zhenbang wore. At least in this situation, Nie Zhenbang’s demeanor was much more composed than his own.

“Comrade Hongyi and his secretary have been confirmed dead. Currently, the driver has begun to pull through from the danger. The preliminary diagnosis is intracranial hemorrhage, and he is still in a coma,” Liu Zhentao reported succinctly.

Then, Liu Zhentao also showed a look of grief, “Ah, such a good comrade. Comrade Hongyi was diligent and duty-bound, practical in his work. The province’s industrial output has doubled year after year. It’s unexpected, he just suddenly left us.”

Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang fell into thought for a moment, then nodded and said, “Comrade Hongyi’s body must be transported back to the province as soon as possible, and the Provincial Committee General Affairs Bureau together with the Provincial Government Office must immediately set up a funeral affairs committee. We need to discuss the funeral arrangements with his family. Besides, we must do whatever it takes to save the life of the driver. We need to spare no expense, provide the best conditions, the best medical care to bring him back. Linzhou City Hospital is certainly not up to standard; instruct them to immediately prepare for a hospital transfer. If Longxi Province’s hospitals are not sufficient, then make contact with the General Hospital of the Military. In short, no matter what, we must save this person.”

As Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, a look of shock appeared on Liu Zhentao’s face. Indeed, Secretary Nie was thorough, paying attention to every detail. The issue of the driver was something everyone had overlooked; at the moment, everyone’s attention was focused on the death of Li Hongyi. However, they had neglected the one who was still alive. Liu Zhentao was jolted awake by Nie Zhenbang’s words.

According to the report from the scene of the accident, the location was on a municipal road in Linzhou City, neither in the urban area nor a township. It was surrounded by farmland, without any witnesses or surveillance footage. Beyond the culprit, nothing else was clear. At this time, if the driver could wake up, it would be of immense significance to the entire accident.

Just as he was about to speak, Nie Zhenbang turned his body around and looked at the entrance of the Provincial Committee compound. Outside the gate, two black Audis had driven in.

“Chen Tao has arrived. Comrade Zhentao, you should be familiar with Chen Tao,” Nie Zhenbang said, glancing at Liu Zhentao beside him.

They were all from Jingcheng, speaking bluntly, they all knew each other well. Nie Zhenbang’s words left Liu Zhentao somewhat startled. What did he mean? Was it a test, or something else?

However, Liu Zhentao managed a smirk and said, “I know him, but we’re not particularly close. Vice Minister Chen and I are essentially not on the same track.”

The car stopped at the main entrance of the building. The door opened, and Zhang Fangwen, the head of the Provincial Party Committee’s Organization Department, had already gotten out. At the same time, Chen Tao had also stepped down.

Compared to their meeting over a decade ago, the current Chen Tao looked noticeably heavier, with his belly slightly protruding into a paunch.

In his forties, yet having reached this level, Chen Tao had reason to be proud.

Nie Zhenbang and Liu Zhentao also went up to greet him. Although, from a positional hierarchy, Nie Zhenbang ranked one level higher than Chen Tao. But now Chen Tao represented the central government. It was important to observe the formalities, otherwise, it would inevitably leave an opening for others to criticize.

“Vice Minister Chen, welcome,” said Nie Zhenbang in an extremely brief manner.

“Vice Minister Chen, we apologize for any shortcomings in hospitality during your visit to Longxi,” added Liu Zhentao, sounding a bit more courteous.

Unintentionally, Nie Zhenbang and Liu Zhentao complemented each other well. This back-and-forth showcased Longxi Province’s composure without losing a sense of importance.

At that moment, Chen Tao’s expression was serious; he gave a slight nod, just enough to acknowledge the greeting. His arrogant manner made Nie Zhenbang frown – was Chen Tao really intending to put pressure on him? Well, he would have to see if Chen Tao had the teeth for it.

“Comrade Nie Zhenbang, Comrade Zhen Tao, time is of the essence, so I’ll be brief. Shall we go to the conference room now?” Chen Tao maintained an all-business demeanor.

In his words, this subtle difference made the other leading cadres of the Longxi Provincial Committee startle. No one present was a three-year-old child; rather, none of them were pushovers. Such details were not lost on them.

Calling Nie Zhenbang by his formal full name, while addressing Liu Zhentao with a nickname, this distinction was so evident that no one could fail to notice it.

Nie Zhenbang sneered coldly, feeling somewhat contemptuous towards Chen Tao. Chen Tao, Chen Tao, if that’s all you’re capable of, you’re really not worth worrying about.

Then, with a smile, Nie Zhenbang said, “Vice Minister Chen, after you.”

With that, Nie Zhenbang walked forward, positioning himself half a step higher than Chen Tao in an intangible display of status. The scene caused a change in Chen Tao’s expression. Nie Zhenbang was indeed someone who never suffered a loss. Right after Chen Tao had tried to intimidate him, Nie Zhenbang immediately retaliated. He really didn’t wait overnight to seek revenge.

In the Provincial Committee’s conference room, it was now past six o’clock in the evening. However, outside the window, it was still a brightly sunny scene. In the summer in Longxi Province, darkness would not fall until around eight o’clock at night.

In the center of the room, Nie Zhenbang and Chen Tao sat on opposite sides. This arrangement caused another frown on Chen Tao’s brow. It did not reflect the hierarchy clearly.

However, Chen Tao had no choice. Nie Zhenbang’s position was unassailable. At this moment, to haggle over such trivial matters and jeopardize the bigger issues would only result in his own loss.

After pondering for a moment, Chen Tao looked up, scanned everyone present, and spoke in a grave voice, “Comrades, the central government is deeply shocked by the sudden demise of Comrade Li Hongyi. This time, I’ve been assigned by the central government to come to Longxi to hear the accident investigation report. Furthermore, I am here for the aftermath and to soothe the situation. Our general attitude is this: first, the deaths of Li Hongyi and his secretary are to be deemed as dying in the line of duty. The Propaganda Department should provide positive publicity and reports. Second, we must thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident, to determine whether it was accidental or deliberate. A comprehensive and objective investigation must be carried out. Until the facts of the incident are clarified, no one from any unit should disclose any statements related to the accident. The third point is based on the results of the second point: if it was due to human factors, who dared to be so bold, who was so reckless? We must investigate thoroughly and severely punish the offenders. We must crack down on deviant and sinister forces.”

Upon hearing this, all members of the standing committee closed their mouths, and the atmosphere in the conference room suddenly became as tense as if a pre-storm wind filled the building. Observing Chen Tao’s stern appearance and demeanor, everyone couldn’t help but speculate. What was the underlying purpose behind the central government’s instructions? Or, did Li Hongyi’s death truly involve hidden circumstances unknown to the Provincial Committee but known to the central government?

At this level, everyone was aware that Longxi was no longer just Longxi; the entire country was a chessboard. The Provincial Committee was just one of the pieces in this game of chess. How the central government was strategizing was something that required careful consideration.

At this moment, Nie Zhenbang’s demeanor was calm yet serious. After Chen Tao finished speaking, he also said, “Everyone has clearly heard what Vice Minister Chen just said. The Political and Legal Affairs Committee and the Discipline Inspection Commission must take action quickly. We must clarify the cause of the accident as soon as possible, so that Comrade Li Hongyi can rest in peace.” (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets at . Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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