0136 145 One should know that in youth one's lofty ambitions once aspired to be among the best in the world.

Liu Liangyou looked up at Zhou Xiye, stunned.

Zhou Xiye was also looking at him.

You looked at me, I looked at you, our eyes locked.

Liu Liangyou suddenly laughed, leaned back in his chair, and waved his hand. “Young man, you are still too young…” He looked at Zhou Xiye. “Zhou Xiye, I am the provincial party secretary. The entire Yunnan province is mine. It’s been more than ten years. The relationships are already deeply intertwined. Can you uproot me? One Liu Yiyi can ruin my reputation? Hahaha, ten Liu Yiyis are not enough.”

Zhou Xiye looked at him without saying a word.

“I understand what you’re thinking. I couldn’t bring you down with your corruption and bribery, but now you want me to step down,” Liu Liangyou chuckled, slamming his finger hard on the table. “What do you know! You shouldn’t be holding a grudge against me. Things in Kunming are complicated. Before you came, so many people were eyeing the position of Party Secretary. Kunming is the main economic pillar of Yunnan Province. Look at the GDP figures… You know better than I do. The provincial Party committee has been delaying in making a Party Secretary appointment for a place like this because they’re trying to balance the various factions.”

Zhou Xiye had already understood these words, but he didn't know what Liu Liangyou's intention was, so he could only listen.

"Leaving aside others, how much did Hu Rui give Vice Governor Wu to get this position? He vigorously developed the tourism development zone to achieve results, all so he could qualify for the position of municipal party secretary. Unfortunately, the central government intervened, and you came to be the municipal party secretary. Zhou Xiye, let me ask you, how old are you now? Not even thirty, right? How old is Hu Rui? You came here to gain experience, but for Hu Rui, the municipal party secretary position might be the last stop in his career. You took what was his, won't he hold a grudge against you?"

Zhou Xiye smiled and gestured for Liu Liangyou to continue.

"This is Hu Rui, the enemy you can see on the surface. What about the others? There are quite a few people eyeing your position. There are also quite a few people waiting to see you make a fool of yourself. If you ask me, your current situation is a result of public resentment."

As expected of an experienced man, Liu Liangyou subtly shifted the blame away from himself. But Zhou Xiye wasn't there to receive his "guidance" on her work. She nodded, looking directly at Liu Liangyou, "Secretary Liu, have you ever considered that your current situation is also due to public outrage?"

Liu Liangyou looked at her with a frown.

“No matter how you try to cover up the facts, the inspection team will find you,” Zhou Xiye thought for a moment. “Secretary Liu, when I first came to Kunming, I went out for an inspection and saw a large building in our largest tourism development zone, Fuxian Tower, which is known as the number one building in Kunming. At that time, I was curious about what kind of person could build such a building in the national tourism base park. I asked the locals, and there were many versions. Some said it was someone in the municipal party committee, and others said it was a relationship with provincial leaders… In short, the relationship was extraordinary. Later, when I took office, I specifically went to ask the director of the Development and Reform Commission, but she didn’t know either.”

“The light show at Fuxian Tower is beautiful at night,” Zhou Xiye shrugged. “It is so beautiful because the authorities are protecting it. The day the lights of Fuxian Tower stop shining, I think... that day will be the day when the historical problems of Kunming are truly resolved.”

After Zhou Xiye finished speaking, he bowed slightly to Liu Liangyou and said, "Thank you for taking care of me during this time, Secretary Liu," before turning and walking towards the door.

Liu Liangyou stood up abruptly.

“Zhou Xiye, as the provincial party secretary, I must tell you something: farmhouses are harmless, and you can do whatever you want with them. But the tourism development zone is a sensitive place, and you can’t touch it.”

Zhou Xiye stopped in his tracks.

Liu Liangyou's voice rang out behind her.

"Your visit to Kunming is just a temporary step; there's absolutely no need to understand everything. Avoid this sensitive area, and provide general, principled guidance—that's enough. You'll achieve your political goals, and if anything goes wrong, it won't concern you..."

Zhou Xiye turned to look at him.

Liu Liangyou smiled bitterly, “Let me put it this way, being an official is the most agonizing thing in the world. You hold the power of life and death in your hands, and sometimes you feel it's unbelievable. Your policy, your guideline, can affect a small company or even an entire industry. This isn't being an official; it's being a god. Gods receive offerings during festivals, and we're no exception. With selfish motives come conflicts of interest… Human nature is complex. When facing people in distress, the divine side reveals itself. But back in the office, when you realize that those causing suffering to the people are your so-called subordinates, the human side reveals itself.”

After listening to Liu Liangyou's words, Zhou Xiye remained calm. "Your so-called humanity and divinity are nothing but excuses. You've woven your own net, trapping yourself inside, unable to escape. Money-for-power transactions aren't necessarily wrong; it depends on where you use the money. Putting it in your own pocket isn't the mark of a politician; it's a sign of a sense of impending doom. Politicians should focus on power, just as entrepreneurs focus on money. To gain power, politicians must use money to build a Great Wall of achievements, to defeat political enemies. At the same time, they must be careful not to let that Great Wall trap them, to avoid a desperate struggle. Money is not important to politicians; it's merely a tool to pave the way."

Liu Liangyou's eyes lit up, a rare glimmer of light gathering within them. Zhou Xiye remained calm as he looked at him. Liu Liangyou sighed, "I'm getting old. There are some things that should indeed be handed over to you young people."

Zhou Xiye frowned. "You are the provincial party secretary."

Liu Liangyou nodded, giving an irrelevant answer, "You're right, my success today isn't solely due to you." He then waved his hand, "Let's go, I have a meeting to attend in a bit."

Zhou Xiye's feelings were complicated.

The press conference approvals came through smoothly without any hiccups. Zhou Xiye looked at the documents and felt something was amiss. Qiao Senxi placed the prepared speech next to her, "Secretary, take a look and see if there are any parts that need revision."

Zhou Xiye nodded and picked up his speech to read.

A few seconds later, she looked up at Qiao Senxi and asked, "Mayor Ling, are you moving to the municipal party committee compound or the municipal government compound?"

“I’m not quite sure… But, Secretary, Mayor Ling is currently serving as the Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee. Even if he moves here, he’ll move back sooner or later…” Qiao Senxi understood Zhou Xiye’s current predicament. Anyone with eyes could see that Zhou Xiye was the one who was glamorous on the surface, but the one who actually benefited was Ling Xingzhi: Zhou Xiye suffered, Hu Rui was arrested, but Ling Xingzhi was promoted.

No matter how you look at it, this is wrong, and Zhou Xiye must have remembered it.

"Hmm... okay, you can go now. I'll explain all the problematic parts," Zhou Xiye said, lowering his head to continue reading his speech.

Not long after, Meng Qinggong from the Municipal Public Security Bureau came to report on his work. At the meeting, Meng Qinggong explained the reasons for the formation of the prostitution den, the situation overseas, and the specific details of the collusion between Qihang Travel Agency and foreign forces. This case had a huge social impact.

After finishing his report, Meng Qinggong straightened his back and said to Zhou Xiye, "We've almost finished investigating the human trafficking and prostitution case, but we still need to look into the collusion with foreign forces. Yunnan Province has a national border, and we have very strict control over the border. So I think that for a car involved in human trafficking to be able to drive in so openly, it must have a powerful backer, a protective umbrella." He paused, "We're currently missing a witness, someone who can prove that Qihang Travel Agency has a protective umbrella behind it, someone who has connections with foreign forces."

Zhou Xiye understood that someone was coming. "Director Meng, just tell me what you need. The Municipal Party Committee will definitely cooperate fully with your work."

Meng Qinggong was taken aback, looking at the woman who had returned to the center of power. She seemed like a completely different person from Zhou Xiye that night. "What I mean is, we need to interrogate Liu Yiyi," he said, looking at Zhou Xiye to see her reaction.

Zhou Xiye, as the First Secretary of the Party Committee of the Kunming Military Sub-district, privately requisitioned military aircraft, and the Central Military Commission, through orders from the Central Committee, issued a disciplinary action against her. Now, bearing this disciplinary burden, Zhou Xiye is clearly not as arrogant as she once was. Meng Qinggong's request at this time is procedurally reasonable, and he also holds the upper hand in terms of momentum; Zhou Xiye is a reasonable person…

After that night, Meng Qinggong was truly afraid of Zhou Xiye.

The kind of prostration.

Fortunately, Zhou Xiye is a reasonable person.

“Okay, I can do the trial,” Zhou Xiye readily agreed, “but it can only be conducted in the military region. I’m not comfortable with having it handled by your bureau.”

"The prosecutor's office..."

“Then let the prosecutors go with us,” Zhou Xiye said, tilting his head. “Any other questions?”

Meng Qinggong nodded. "We've resolved the internal issues, but what about the foreign forces? Especially those in the Golden Triangle—human trafficking? Fraud?"

Zhou Xiye raised her hand and glanced at her watch. "Take care of the internal issues first, and we'll discuss this matter again tomorrow." After saying that, she looked around and asked, "Does anyone here have any other questions? If not, let's adjourn the meeting."

Of course not. Even if they did, they wouldn't dare say.

Meng Qinggong followed Zhou Xiye out. “How strange, Secretary Zhou, aren’t you surprised to hear what I’m reporting? We were all shocked when we found out the truth of this matter.”

"Do I have to make a shocked expression to express my emotions?" Zhou Xiye glanced at him. "As for you, just focus on your work. Once you finish this case, you'll definitely receive plenty of recognition and rewards. I'll definitely put in a good word for you at the provincial department."

Meng Qinggong nodded, "Thank you. I knew it. Working with you would be the right choice."

Zhou Xiye sighed and walked back to her office. She leaned back in her chair for a while, then sat up when she heard footsteps outside and then a knock on the door.

"Secretary, are there any problems with the speech? The press conference is about to start, and I'll revise any parts that need to be changed," Qiao Senxi asked as he came in.

“No,” Zhou Xiye pushed out the prepared speech, paused for a few seconds, and said, “I’m not going to the press conference. Let Mayor Ling go and give him this speech.”

Qiao Senxi was startled, "Secretary, you..."

Zhou Xiye looked at him, her eyes devoid of any emotion. "Ling Xingzhi is more suitable than me."

Ling Xingzhi was also bewildered when he received the speech draft. How did he end up being pushed up there? Sitting in the back seat of the car, he held the speech draft and looked at it carefully. There was no time for Li Qingshan to revise it, so he took a black carbon pen and revised it himself. The overall tone of the draft was very much in line with Zhou Xiye's style: incisive and to the point.

But this is different from Ling Xingzhi's style.

In this day and age, creating a persona is very important for celebrities. In fact, persona creation is something that has been done to death in officialdom. Every official has a different style, but most of them like to cultivate an image of being approachable, kind, and self-disciplined.

His conduct was typical, reflecting the image of most officials in Beijing.

But Zhou Xiye is different.

Perhaps because he hasn't yet developed his own style, Zhou Xiye's decisions are always unexpected.

For example, the main protagonist of this press conference should be Zhou Xiye. It is her time to shine and redeem herself. According to her usual style, she should be high-profile and denounce Hu Rui and Liu Liangyou at the press conference to prove her innocence.

But she didn't do that.

Ling Xingzhi didn't understand Zhou Xiye's thinking, nor did he have time to ponder it. He rushed to the press conference, arriving a few minutes late. Upon entering, he first apologized to the media present. In the first half of his speech, Ling Xingzhi briefly addressed a few issues: the first being the latest developments in the rural tourism-prostitution case that had garnered public attention, involving collusion between officials and businessmen, and explaining that the Discipline Inspection Commission, the Procuratorate, and the inspection team had intervened, promising a satisfactory response later.

Secondly, regarding the fight against corruption. A prime example is Hu Rui and Secretary Hu. At the same time, we must also be vigilant against high-ranking corrupt officials; there is no upper limit to the crackdown on corruption.

Thirdly, regarding the clarification of Zhou Xiye's personal situation, in short, Comrade Zhou Xiye withstood the organization's scrutiny. Under the investigations of the Discipline Inspection Commission, the Procuratorate, and the Central Inspection Team, no problems were found. From any perspective, Zhou Xiye and Secretary Zhou are undoubtedly deserving of their titles.

In the second half, Ling Xingzhi left the Q&A session for the reporters present.

Most people are interested in human trafficking and prostitution cases, as these are always hot topics related to people's livelihoods. However, the latter two cases, especially Zhou Xiye's, are old news and not topics that the public enjoys discussing.

Zhou Xiye watched Ling Xingzhi on the TV. She was satisfied with his answer, picked up her cup, and took a sip of coffee.

A middle-aged woman sitting to the side picking vegetables glanced at the television and said, "It's a terrible thing. When will there be a law that allows people to be arrested and executed for human trafficking? I don't think anyone would dare to do that!"

Zhou Xiye smiled when he heard this, but didn't say anything.

The middle-aged woman looked at Zhou Xiye and said, "Young lady, judging from your appearance, you must be a tourist from out of town, right? You have to be careful! Although the government is increasing its efforts to manage this, it still can't stop bad people from trying to cheat people."

Zhou Xiye nodded, "Okay, thank you," and then turned her gaze back to the television.

"This young man is quite handsome!" The middle-aged woman also looked at the screen.

Zhou Xiye chuckled, "This is our city's mayor."

"Wow! Really! She's so beautiful? Her temperament is definitely different, unlike those who lack cultural refinement," the woman exclaimed, watching the television.

Zhou Xiye asked curiously, "Do you know the Party Secretary of our city?"

The woman looked over. "I don't know. Who was it? I remember the last one was arrested for corruption, right?"

Zhou Xiye nodded. “Whether you know them or not is not important at all, but you have to pay attention to politics, what’s happening, what new policies are being implemented, and what the government is going to do. This is closely related to you.”

"What could be relevant? They've made the decision, so we just listen to them, isn't that enough?"

Zhou Xiye shook his head, "That's not how it works... Take your little coffee shop for example. It's on the street, and residential courtyards have been connected to the roadside. What if one day the urban management department issues an order saying that people can't open shops on the street, let alone convert residential houses into commercial spaces? Wouldn't your coffee shop then be unable to open?"

The woman paused in her work. "That's true."

"So what do you think you should do at this point? Should you still listen to the government?"

The woman looked at Zhou Xiye, "Then I... I'll go to the petition office..."

Zhou Xiye smiled, nodded, and stood up.

Her skirt fluttered in the wind, and after Zhou Xiye left, only the sound of the television remained in the shop. The woman stared at the television for a long while before she came to her senses.

If it weren't for the coffee stain on Zhou Xiye's skirt, there would be nothing to prove that she had been to the coffee shop.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the residential complex, before even going upstairs, Zhou Xiye was stopped by Shen Yuhe.

"Secretary Zhou, I have something I'd like to ask you."

"I'm off work now, we can talk about it tomorrow."

"Some things can't be discussed in the office."

Zhou Xiye looked up at the sky and sighed.

Shen Yuhe smiled and said, "You can choose the location."

"Fuxian Tower".