Xiao Suoshi, the deputy township head, was inspecting agriculture in Jixing Village when he was bitten by a venomous snake. He was rushed to the township hospital for treatment. The news quickly reached the ears of the township leaders.

Don't underestimate this small township. Many people are gossips. If a leader gets into trouble, it'll be the talk of the town within minutes. Especially someone like Liu Zhenyuan, a member of the Party Committee, who is a prime target for those interested. Is there going to be some changes in Zhangba Township?

"Zheng Chun, what are you doing? With you protecting him, how could Township Chief Liu have been bitten by a snake?" Chang Lin received Zheng Chun's call and was incredulous and extremely annoyed, roaring angrily. He was just trying to conduct an agricultural inspection, and this mess had to happen. What was Zheng Chun thinking?

Hearing Chang Lin's anger, Zheng Chun felt even more wronged; he also felt the whole thing was too coincidental. Liu Zhenyuan had led the way out, and yet he'd run into this unfortunate situation. As the director, he certainly bore responsibility, and now he was even more embarrassed.

“Secretary Chang, I apologize for this. I failed to protect Comrade Zhenyuan, but I also believe that Jixing Village bears a great deal of responsibility for not cooperating with the inspection!” Zheng Chun said bitterly.

Now that things have happened, it's the perfect time to kick someone when they're down. This happened on Zhao Sanshun's turf; do you think you can stay out of it? Don't even think about it!

"Is this related to Jixing Village's lack of cooperation with the inspection? What's going on?" Chang Lin frowned and asked. This shouldn't be the case. Zhao Sanshun isn't cooperating with the inspection? He had a good impression of Zhao Sanshun. He was highly respected in Jixing and was also an easy-going person.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind. He'd heard that Zheng Chun and Zhao Sanshun had a strained relationship; could this be related to their conflict? Nonsense! Utterly absurd!

No one should let personal conflicts and emotions affect their work. That's non-negotiable. However, Chang Lin's immediate considerations went beyond that; he thought about how to handle the matter discreetly. Both the injured and those he was protecting were on his own side; making a scene would only make him a laughingstock. What would his superiors think of him if he let others laugh at him?

"Secretary Chang, this is what happened. Township Head Liu went to Jixing Village to inspect farmland operations and happened to encounter a new resident who had moved there. To show the township leadership's concern for the new residents, Township Head Liu wanted to go and see for himself. I had heard that it was a 'Snake Valley' with venomous snakes, so I didn't approve of the risk. Unexpectedly, Zhao Sanshun still took Township Head Liu there!" Zheng Chun said. The phrase "didn't approve of going" and "didn't approve of the risk" are both valid, but the meanings are very different. This is a matter of responsibility. "Then, in a fit of anger, Township Head Liu led the way in, but he didn't expect this! Secretary Chang, I feel very strange. There are small villas built there, and people are living there. Why didn't the snakes bite them, but Township Head Liu was bitten as soon as he went in? I suspect there's something fishy going on!"

As Chang Lin listened, his anger gradually subsided, and he asked suspiciously, "Are you saying someone deliberately released poisonous snakes? What's the situation with the resident?"

If it was premeditated, then the nature of this matter is different.

Upon hearing that Secretary Chang had taken his words to heart, Zheng Chun was overjoyed and immediately began to recount what he knew. However, he didn't know much, but he couldn't avoid attacking Zhao Sanshun and Zhang Guodong.

Zhao Sanshun's "lack of cooperation, regardless of the superiors' work, is also a significant issue, as is Zhang Guodong's concept of farmland and wasteland. The central government has already issued relevant documents on agriculture, rural areas, and farmers, repeatedly emphasizing that agricultural land cannot have its use and nature changed without the consent of the provincial-level government."

Zheng Chun felt that there was a lot of room for maneuver here, and that they could find a scapegoat to vent everyone's anger.

Zheng Chun was essentially getting revenge on Zhao Sanshun. The situation in Jixing Village was this: Zhao Sanshun was too prestigious; he held both the village head and party secretary positions in every election, making it impossible for others to compete. This incident would serve as a way for Zheng Chun to establish his authority, making Zhao Sanshun lose face and suffer greatly.

It's fair to say that Zheng Chun's intentions were extremely sinister. Chang Lin wasn't stupid; he naturally understood that there was something fishy going on, but there was no reason for him not to support his own people. Although Zhao Sanshun was easy to talk to, he was still not one of their own.

"Have the township hospital staff do everything they can to save Comrade Liu Zhenyuan. If that doesn't work, contact the district hospital immediately. We can't afford any accidents! Also, check the new residents of Jixing Village to see if there have been any cases of intentional assault," Chang Lin said.

"Secretary Chang, don't worry! I'll take care of it right away!" Zheng Chun was overjoyed upon receiving the order.

"Zhao Sanshun, Zhao Sanshun, let's see if you can still be the Party Secretary and Village Chief this time? And that kid—'Hmph, the power to investigate is in my hands. I can do whatever I want with you. You're dead this time.'" Zheng Chun hung up the phone and muttered to himself.

When Zheng Chun reported the matter to Chang Lin, the fat man at the township government wasn't deaf either. Zhang Guodong had already notified him immediately. The fat man was momentarily stunned. Liu Zhenyuan had been bitten by a venomous snake? And the person protecting him was Zheng Chun?

Having confirmed that Zhang Guodong wasn't joking, the fat man immediately had a plan and proactively called Chang Lin: "Secretary Chang, are you aware that Township Head Liu was bitten by a poisonous snake? What is Zheng Chun doing? He can't even protect an individual? I seriously doubt the combat effectiveness of the police station these days."

These words were extremely grating to Chang Lin's ears; Wang Kang was clearly provoking him. To question the police station's fighting capabilities was a rather harsh statement!

Chang Lin was angry, but said coldly, "Mayor Wang, this is just an accident, and we can't jump to conclusions so easily. I just heard that there are some problems with the leadership of Jixing Village, which is the cause of this accident."

The fat man ignored him. Why didn't you deal with the problems in Jixing Village earlier? Bringing it up now is clearly just an attempt to gloss over the matter. But dream on! Having finally found an opportunity, even if the fat man couldn't take down Zheng Chun, he wanted to at least give him a warning and establish his authority as the village head. It was all for show.

"Secretary Chang, I disagree with your point of view! I have investigated and learned about the leadership team of Jixing Village. It is a united and progressive team. Comrade Zhao Sanshun is a veteran Party member and former Party Secretary with a high level of awareness. The other village committee members also have strong cohesion. However, I have heard from the internet that Comrade Zheng Chun made things difficult for the Jixing Village team during the inspection. Especially towards Comrade Zhao Sanshun. Some comrades have reported that Comrade Zheng Chun and Zhao Sanshun have a very strained relationship. This time, he even ignored Comrade Zhao Sanshun's advice, which led to Comrade Zhenyuan's injury. In this respect, Comrade Zheng Chun is responsible! His inability to coordinate and handle relationships with subordinates will greatly hinder the future work of our township," the fat man retorted.

Chang Lin became an instant sensation. Was Wang Kang determined to take down Zheng Chun?

"Mayor Wang, whether this is true or not can only be known after investigation. You are the mayor of a township, it's too easy for you to draw conclusions! Whether Zheng Chun is qualified or not, whether Zhao Sanshun is a good comrade or not, is for everyone to say! Comrade Zhenyuan is still being rescued, other matters will be discussed at the Party Committee meeting!" Chang Lin said with a gloomy face, and then hung up the phone.

The two usually have a contrasting dynamic: one is assertive, the other reserved. But today, the fat man was unusually outspoken, engaging in a very confrontational conversation with Chang Lin, seemingly ready to break off all ties.

This is a fierce attack. Of course, it has a purpose. Chang Lin is an old fox; he naturally knows that the fat man isn't one to be trifled with, and he's using Zheng Chunlai to cause trouble. Hmph, you're only the acting township head now, and you still have a few months before you're officially appointed, yet you come here to boss people around. If I don't fight back, everyone will think you're a useless acting township head.

Alright!

Chang Lin needed to vent his anger.

He immediately summoned the other Party Committee members and rushed to the township hospital. Liu Zhenyuan was his confidant, so his safety was his first concern. However, when they arrived at the township hospital, there were already many people in the courtyard. The fat man was there too, chatting harmoniously with Chen Baoguo, the deputy Party Secretary and Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission. Chen Baoguo had some gray hair, but he was still sharp and dignified, exuding authority without being angry.

Having worked in the discipline inspection department for over thirty years, he is known for his upright and outspoken nature. Now, as the deputy secretary and secretary of the discipline inspection commission, he is also the only one who has maintained his position.

After calling Chang Lin, Fatty immediately contacted Chen Baoguo and went to the township hospital as soon as possible. Director Bai personally received them and told Fatty and Chen Baoguo that Deputy Township Head Liu Zhenyuan was currently unconscious, and the hospital was working on detoxification, which was progressing smoothly. Like a venomous snake bite, treatment usually requires addressing the specific ailment.

The township hospital happened to have a new batch of antivenom, so Liu Zhenyuan's poisoning injury would not be a problem.

However, the snake venom is treatable, but the biggest concern is that it might cause other complications. Therefore, the patient needs to remain in the hospital for observation.

The fat man felt a little relieved. But on the surface, he remained serious and said to Dean Bai, "We will do everything in our power to ensure Comrade Liu Zhenyuan's safety!"

Dean Bai usually acts superior, but when he's actually in front of the township leaders, he's nothing. After all, if township leaders need medical checkups, they usually go to the district level, not his place. The fat man gave him a heads-up, and he immediately promised. Establishing a relationship with the township head is essential to demonstrating the strength of the rural hospital.

The fat man offered Dean Bai a few words of encouragement, then started chatting with Chen Baoguo. While they were talking, the others, knowing better than to approach, remained silent and no one knew what they were discussing; it all seemed quite harmonious.

They were talking when Chang Lin arrived with his men.

"Secretary Chang is here. Deputy Township Head Liu is being treated." The fat man saw Chang Lin's serious face and immediately put on a fake smile as he walked over. Following behind Chang Lin were Lin Manjun, Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, and Ji De, Minister of Armed Forces. These two men walked towards Chang Lin's supporters, followed by some grassroots officials.

It looks like a big fuss, probably meant to be a show for everyone. In this village, I, Chang Lin, still call the shots. I got to this position before Fatty did, and I secured everyone's support; Chang Lin's skills are quite impressive.

"What's the situation now? Is there any danger? If it gets too bad, transfer to the district hospital!" Chang Lin raised an eyebrow, unable to ignore the fat man's call.

Then he nodded to Chen Baoguo as a greeting. But in his heart, he was thinking, "How did Wang Kang get involved with Chen Baoguo?"

Although he received an absolute majority of votes at the Party Committee meeting, Wang Kang had gained Chen Baoguo's support, meaning he was no longer fighting alone.

The fat man sneered inwardly. The township hospital was no good? Wasn't this a blatant slap in the face? Sure enough, the hospital director looked embarrassed and said, "Secretary Chang, the township hospital lacks funds and can't perform major surgeries here. However, we have snakebite antivenom available every year. The township head's snakebite can be treated; he just needs to stay for observation for a while! Don't worry!"

The fat man waved to Dean Bai and said, "Dean Bai, go ahead and do your work, you don't need to keep us company!"

Dean Bai gave the fat man a grateful look and left immediately.

"Yes, have you notified Township Head Liu's family?" Chang Lin nodded and said. He didn't seem to care about Dean Bai's embarrassment; in his opinion, these insignificant people didn't matter to him at all.

"Mayor Liu's wife and children are on their way!" the fat man said. Just then, a car sped out of the township hospital and pulled up, taking out three people: Bie Zhenyuan's wife and their two adult children.

Upon seeing Chang Lin, Liu Zhenyuan's wife cried out, "Secretary Chang, you must stand up for Old Liu! Some village cadres don't respect their leaders anymore and treat their lives like a joke!"

The sudden cry surprised and surprised everyone. Chang Lin's face darkened; what was wrong with Old Liu's wife? How did she find out about this? Wasn't she just making things worse? However, there were quite a few people present, and he said, "We take Old Liu's situation very seriously. His recovery is the priority now. The township will investigate this matter!"

"Everyone, go back and have a brief Party Committee meeting!" After offering a few words of comfort, Chang Lin slapped the sobbing old woman. He then gave a brief instruction to Dean Bai, and the group left, including Fatty and Chen Baoguo.

I rushed back to the meeting room. There were six people in total, but Zheng Chun wasn't there.

Chang Lin cut to the chase. He said, "I think there's something fishy about what happened today; everyone knows about it now. The township needs to give us an explanation!"

"Secretary Chang, I've also heard about this. Comrade Zhenyuan was bitten by a poisonous snake at that place called Taoyuan Xiaozhu. I think we could have the owner of that place cooperate with the investigation!" (Political and Legal Affairs Commission)

"Director Zheng has already gone to Taoyuan Xiaozhu to investigate, but Village Chief Zhao Sanshun is very irresponsible. I think it's necessary to replace him with someone else!" Armed Forces Minister Ji De said gruffly. Originally, this was none of his business; you should just manage your armed forces department and not interfere in personnel matters. But with Chang Lin's support, this vote became very important.

The fat man snorted and said, "I don't think that's appropriate. Zhao Sanshun was elected by the people, not directly appointed by his superiors! I suggest we question everyone involved at the time to see what happened! As for Taoyuan Xiaozhu, I think it's very inappropriate to have Director Zheng lead the investigation, because Director Zheng is also a party involved. It would be most appropriate for Secretary Chen to lead the Discipline Inspection Commission to intervene! At the very least, the Discipline Inspection Commission should supervise the investigation!"

The village chief and the Party secretary are elected by the people; they cannot be directly appointed, as stipulated by law. The fat man's sarcasm towards certain individuals was merciless, leaving Lin Manjun and Ji De quite embarrassed. However, given their unwavering support for Chang Lin, the fat man wasn't afraid of offending them.

Chang Lin glanced at Chen Baoguo, then nodded and said, "Isn't it a bit much for the Discipline Inspection Commission to interfere in the villagers' civil cases? I think, even though there are five people here, let's have a verbal vote!"

As a result, it was obvious that Chen Baoguo did not support the fat man in a three-on-one situation. Or rather, even if he had, it wouldn't have passed.

"Then it's decided. Let Comrade Zheng Chun investigate this matter as soon as possible!" Chang Lin said.

Defense: Four thousand. Something came up today. Sorry for the delay.