Because he's also a good person
There was no good news waiting for Tian Liangwei as he returned to Shanghai after attending a plenary session of the Chinese Communist Party.
"What? Who are you replacing? Who are you replacing without my permission?"
He was abruptly dismissed from his post as the head of the Shanghai Armed Police, his closest aide, General Chang Xinju. In his place was General Liu Hongcai.
Liu Hongcai is from Sichuan Province and was previously the leader of the armed police in Shaanxi Province.
"Who dared give such an order! Who in Shanghai could do such a thing without my permission! Is it the mayor? Or who!"
"This is an order issued in the name of the Communist Party Central Committee. It has the names of all nine members of the Standing Committee written on it······."
Cheon Liangwei was shocked to hear that all the standing committee members had signed the order.
"······You came down from Beijing? What does that mean? You didn't say a word to me! Isn't that wrong news? The order! Yes! Where is the order!"
"The leader of the Changshin Rat is coming here now. He will probably be bringing orders with him."
As soon as he finished speaking, the creative mouse arrived.
"Sir Cheon."
The face of the inventor was dark.
"What the hell is going on? What happened in Beijing? Why are you suddenly firing me?"
Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao, in preparation for any possible mishaps, abruptly replaced the head of the Shanghai Armed Police Forces before the general meeting ended and Chen Liangwei went down to Shanghai.
However, Cheon Ryang-wi, who did not know that fact, was only embarrassed.
"Sit down for now, Captain Chang."
Cheonryangwi was also quite angry, but he was not as angry as Changsinjwi, who had been dismissed without notice.
The sitting Changsinju said, handing over the order from Beijing.
"This is an order from the Central Committee. Did you know about it in advance?"
Cheon Ryang-wi tried to steady his trembling hands and accepted the order.
An order containing the signatures of all Standing Committee members, led by Hu Jintao.
In today's China, no one could refute this order after seeing it.
Cheon Ryang-wi put down the order and let out a deep sigh.
"I don't know. If I had known, would I have let you be dismissed? The armed police have been the armed force for the Shanghai Party Secretary since Chairman Jiang's time. How could I have handed it over to someone other than General Chang?"
"So what on earth is all this about?"
As Changsin-ju was expressing his frustration, a knock was heard on the door.
"Sir Cheon. This is Uzumyeong. Oh, and General Chang is here too."
The one who came to see Tian Liangwei was Wu Zhiming, the chief of Shanghai Public Security Bureau.
"what's the matter?"
"Have you heard the news?"
In response to Cheonryangwi's question, Woozuming asked a question in return.
"What's the news? Captain Changsinjwi has been dismissed?"
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"Yes? Captain Chang was dismissed? Is that true?"
Woozuming looked at Changsinju with a surprised expression, as if he didn't know that fact.
"If not, what are you asking?"
Cheon Ryang-wi asked, annoyed by that reaction.
"I heard from a friend in the Central Discipline Commission that they have launched an investigation into Secretary Tian. They have already sent investigators down to Shanghai······."
Before Wu Zhuming could finish speaking, Cheon Liangwei slammed the table and jumped up from his seat.
"What the heck? Are you investigating me? What kind of crazy guy is investigating me! I'm Cheon Liang-wi, Cheon Liang-wi!"
At Cheonryangwi's old age, Woozuming stopped talking and froze.
"Is this confirmed news? The Central Discipline Inspection Commission is investigating me!"
"Yes, yes. According to my friend, he doesn't know why they're investigating. However, he said investigators have already been dispatched to Shanghai."
When Cheon Ryang-wi heard the news of the investigation that was being conducted in secret, he collapsed in his seat.
Given Woozuming's personality, he probably wouldn't have asked for information that wasn't certain.
Cheon Ryang-wi, who had been just laughing, soon came to his senses and asked.
"How much can you tell about a friend who is above that level of discipline?"
"I said I would try to find out as much as I could. But I don't think I would have the authority to access information from someone like Secretary Cheon."
"Uh······. First, Director Woo, sit down too."
Cheonryangwi pressed his throbbing forehead and gestured to Woozuming.
While washing his face with a dry towel, Cheonryangwi was lost in thought.
'This doesn't seem like an ordinary thing.'
He first blew up his closest aide, Changsinjwi, and then the investigation began.
I had a feeling of unease that sent shivers down my spine.
"······Director Woo. How is the Public Security Bureau?"
"Huh? What are you saying? The police station is always the same."
"I'm asking if there were any sudden personnel changes. Is there any sign that Director Woo will be replaced?"
"I haven't heard any such news yet. But······. Since I heard that Captain Chang was dismissed, I might not be safe either."
Woozuming's face became quite serious as he spoke.
It was a secret investigation that replaced the head of the armed police.
There was no law that said the chief of the public security bureau could not be replaced.
"They won't even replace the Public Security Bureau chief. Doesn't Shanghai Public Security already have Chief Wu in his grasp?"
"That's true, but… it doesn't mean anything when the armed police have already moved in. If the armed police come charging in, the Public Security Bureau alone won't be able to stop them. And even if the armed police aren't aware of it, the Public Security Bureau has considerable influence from the central government. That's why they may not have replaced them on purpose."
Armed police are police agencies primarily under the jurisdiction of local governments, and follow the orders of local party secretaries.
However, the Public Security Bureau was an organization under the control of the central government.
Even though they knew that Wu Zhiming was Tian Liangwei's closest aide, this was also the reason why Hu Jintao and the central government did not bother to replace him.
"Instead of this, how about contacting Chairman Jiang Zemin?"
Changsinju made a subtle suggestion to Cheonryangwi.
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No matter how long and how tall the Cheonryangwi was, if the central government was determined to strike down the enemy, it could not be stopped.
Of course, if Cheonryangwi is a clean person, there is a slight chance that he will pass safely.
However, Changsinju, who had been doing what he had told her to do, also knew about Cheonryangwi's corruption.
In that case, it was necessary to move someone who had the power to stop the Central Discipline Commission.
"Chairman Jang······."
As Changsinju said, Tian Liangwei could not have been unaware that contacting Jiang Zemin was the best way.
However, he was unable to contact Jiang Zemin readily.
"Did you make any mistakes in Beijing? If not, this is not the time to hesitate. If things continue this way, it is not me who is the problem, but Secretary Tian who is in danger. If the Central Discipline Inspection Commission decides to attack, even Secretary Tian will have a hard time stopping it."
"what?"
Cheonryangwi glared at Changsinjwi at his straightforward words.
"Can't everyone gathered here be considered clean? The only person who can stop this is Chairman Jiang Zemin."
The harsh truth struck Cheonryangwi's heart. However, he only glared at Changsinjwi and was unable to offer any rebuttal.
"Have you had a falling out with Chairman Jiang Zemin?"
"No way. There's no way I would be at odds with Chairman Jang. But the atmosphere on Chairman Jang's side is not good either."
"······What on earth happened at this general meeting?"
"I don't know either. What is certain is that power has completely shifted from Chairman Jiang Zemin to Chairman Hu Jintao. No one opposed it."
At the shocking words, Changsinjwi could only gape and say nothing.
Cheon Ryang-wi was also quite shocked by the sight.
I didn't know the details because I hadn't heard any explanation from Jiang Zemin.
I requested to meet him several times, but I was unable to meet him.
The only person I could meet and talk to was the yellow rat.
But Huang Jie was also a member of the Standing Committee. His signature was also stamped on the order.
He also did not give any word to Cheonryangwi.
"There must be something going on somewhere I don't know about. Otherwise, this can't be happening."
Everyone's faces hardened after hearing Cheonryangwi's words.
All the people gathered here were people who had staked their lives on Cheonryangwi.
If Cheonryangwi was wrong, it would be no different from everyone dying together.
"But first, let's contact Chairman Jang. Then we can discuss countermeasures."
At Woo Zuming's words, Cheon Liangwei nodded and took out his cell phone.
Then he called Jiang Zemin's personal contact number.
The phone kept ringing, but the person on the other end didn't pick up.
Cheonryangwi did not give up and tried to connect several times.
But Jiang Zemin never responded.
"What the heck! Why aren't you answering my phone?"
In the end, Cheon Ryang-wi screamed and threw the cell phone away.
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The cell phone hit the wall and was smashed into a horrible shape.
* * *
I came down from Busan and literally did nothing.
Except for the occasional walk with my grandmother, I spent all my time lazing around at home.
I put all my complicated thoughts aside and focused solely on resting.
"Muhyeok, come out. Let's eat rice cake soup."
I was lying in bed staring at the ceiling when I heard my grandmother calling me.
I opened the door and came out, sat down at the table.
"Oh my, wash your hands and sit down."
The old woman spoke as she slapped my back. She was old enough to know this, but she still spoke to me as if I was a child.
I chuckled and went to the sink to wash my hands roughly.
The old woman shook her head at that sight.
I think he got a little tired of me doing nothing while I was down in Busan.
As I sat down again, the old woman scooped up some tteokguk (rice cake soup) into a large bowl and placed it in front of me.
The old lady said this while sprinkling finely crushed seaweed from a plastic bag over the tteokguk.
"How long are you going to play like that?"
"Why? Would you like me to go?"
"No, that's a shame. You're stuck in the corner for too long, so don't worry. Go outside and do that. Your bones will get stiff."
I didn't respond to my grandmother's nagging and just picked up the spoon.
He said that, but he knew very well that he would be disappointed if he actually went out.
"I'm getting a year older now."
"Even if you grow older, you're still nothing. Just a flash."
I took a spoonful of tteokguk and put it in my mouth, then turned on the TV.
The news reports that President Yoon Chang-ho began his New Year's greetings by inviting about 50 people from all walks of life.
- Hello. This is Yoon Chang-ho.
I continued eating tteokguk while listening to Yoon Chang-ho's New Year's greetings.
― So much has happened over the past year.
He broke the tradition of holding New Year's greetings centered on politicians and invited ten representatives of the nation.
"I really like this president."
I was watching TV when my grandmother suddenly spoke to me, and I stopped watching without realizing it.
"Do you like the President?"
Until now, my grandmother had never talked about politics in front of me.
Of course, I voted regularly, but I wasn't asked or told who I voted for.
"What kind of kid is he trying to work hard? I've seen several presidents in my life, but this is the first time I've seen a president who communicates with the people like that."
"Well, if you like him, that's fine. He's not only a good president, but he's also a good person."
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Yoon Chang-ho was a president with the highest approval rating in history. I can't say that I helped him gain popularity.
I ate all the tteokguk while chatting with my grandmother.
"They say that grandma's rice cake soup is the best."
As I spoke, putting down the empty bowl, a small smile appeared on the corner of the old lady's mouth, which had been expressionless the whole time.
"I heard that people are coming to greet you in the New Year today. Now wash up and get ready."
"Okay. That bastard's nagging······."
Today, Hyunseong's family and Myeongsu's family have decided to come and say hello.
After a quick shower, I changed my clothes and watched TV while waiting for people.
President Yoon Chang-ho's New Year's address was over, and news interpreting it was coming out.
Grandma also came out all dolled up and sat next to me.
"Thank you, let's go somewhere else. Are you just watching boring news all day and night?"
I glanced at my watch and saw that it was time to start watching the drama that my grandmother often watched.
I handed the remote control over to the old lady without saying a word.
The old lady who was laughing bashfully changed the channel as usual and stopped at a channel with a drama on.
"So, are you and him dating?"
"Oh. But they're close friends, but they switched at the hospital."
While the two were passing the time watching a drama, the doorbell rang.
Myeongsu's family and Hyeonseong's family came to visit together.
< It's nice to be reminded of the old days >