Chapter 809: A Sudden Storm in Shanghai

“What? Who are you replacing? Who dares make such a decision without my consent!”

Tian Liangyu was thunderstruck. Chang Xinju, his closest aide and the head of the Shanghai Armed Police, had been summarily dismissed. In his place was Liu Hongcai.

Liu Hongcai was from Sichuan, and until recently had been the head of the Shanxi Armed Police.

“Who the hell gave that order? Who in Shanghai can do such a thing without my permission! Is it the mayor? Or who?”

“The order comes from the Communist Party Central Committee. It’s an official document signed by all nine members of the Standing Committee.”

The news that all members of the Standing Committee had signed the order sent Tian Liangyu reeling.

“…It came from Beijing? What does that even mean? They didn’t even say a word to me! This is false, right? The order! Where’s the order!”

“Chief Chang Xinju is on his way here. He should be carrying the order with him.”

Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, Chang Xinju arrived.

“Secretary Tian.”

Chang Xinju’s face was pale with shock.

“What in the world is going on? What happened in Beijing? How could they suddenly dismiss me?”

Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao, anticipating any potential problems, had replaced the head of the Shanghai Armed Police before Tian Liangyu left Beijing after the plenary meeting.

However, Tian Liangyu, oblivious to this fact, was merely bewildered.

“Please, have a seat, Chief Chang.”

Tian Liangyu was furious, but not as much as Chang Xinju, who had been fired out of the blue.

Sitting down, Chang Xinju handed over the order from Beijing and asked, “This is an order issued by the Central Committee. Did you know about this beforehand?”

Tian Liangyu’s hands trembled as he took the document, trying hard to keep his composure.

The order bore the signatures of all members of the Standing Committee, with Hu Jintao’s at the top.

In present-day China, no one could dispute an order like this.

Tian Liangyu set the order down and sighed deeply.

“I had no idea. If I knew, would I have let you be dismissed? The Armed Police have been Shanghai’s party secretary’s armed force since Chairman Jiang Zemin’s time. Why would I give that up to someone other than you, Chief Chang?”

“Then what in the world is going on here?”

Just as Chang Xinju expressed his frustration, there was a knock at the door.

“Secretary Tian. It’s Wu Zuming. Oh, Chief Chang is here too.”

It was Wu Zuming, the head of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau, who had come to see Tian Liangyu.

“What is it?”

“Have you heard the news?”

Instead of answering Tian Liangyu’s question, Wu Zuming countered with one of his own.

“What news? That Chief Chang Xinju has been dismissed?”

“What? Chief Chang has been dismissed? Is that true?”

Wu Zuming looked at Chang Xinju with a surprised expression, as if he hadn’t known about it.

“If not that then what news are you referring to?”

Tian Liangyu asked with annoyance at his reaction.

“I heard from a friend in the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection that an investigation into you has been launched, Secretary Tian. They’ve already dispatched investigators to Shanghai…”

Before Wu Zuming could finish his sentence, Tian Liangyu slammed his hand on the table and jumped to his feet.

“What did you say? Investigating me? What crazy bastard dares to investigate me! I am Tian Liangyu!”

Wu Zuming froze in place, stopping mid-sentence at Tian Liangyu’s roar.

“Is that information confirmed? Is the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection really investigating me?”

“Yes, yes. My friend says they don’t know why the investigation is happening. But they’ve already sent investigators to Shanghai.”

Upon hearing the news of the secret investigation Tian Liangyu slumped back into his chair.

Knowing Wu Zuming’s character, he wouldn’t have brought information he wasn’t certain of.

After chuckling emptily for a moment, Tian Liangyu composed himself and asked, “How far does your friend in the commission have access to information?”

“They said they would do their best. However they do not have the necessary clearance to access information on someone like you, Secretary Tian.”

“Hmph… Well, Wu director, have a seat too.”

Tian Liangyu gestured for Wu Zuming to sit down, pressing on his throbbing temples.

He rubbed his face with his hands, lost in thought.

‘This doesn’t feel like a simple matter.’

First, they’d dismissed his closest aide, Chang Xinju, and now there was an investigation into him.

A chill ran down his spine as an unsettling feeling washed over him.

“…Wu Director, how is the Public Security Bureau?”

“Yes? What do you mean? The Public Security Bureau is always the same.”

“I mean, has there been any sudden reshuffling of personnel? Is there any sign you might be replaced, Director Wu?”

“I haven’t heard any such news yet. However…given that Chief Chang has been dismissed, I might not be safe either.”

Wu Zuming’s face also turned grim as he spoke.

They had replaced the head of the Armed Police and were launching a secret investigation.

There was no guarantee that the head of the Public Security Bureau wouldn’t also be replaced.

“They won’t replace the head of the Public Security Bureau. You’ve got a firm grip on the Shanghai Public Security Bureau, haven’t you?”

“That’s true…but… with the Armed Police already gone, it means nothing. The Public Security Bureau’s forces alone can’t stop the Armed Police if they charge in. And while the Armed Police are under the local government the Public Security Bureau is much more influenced by the central government. That may be why they have not replaced me.”

The Armed Police was a police force primarily under the control of the local government, following the orders of the local party secretary.

But the Public Security Bureau was an agency controlled by the central government.

This was also why Hu Jintao and the central government had not bothered to replace him, even though they knew Wu Zuming was one of Tian Liangyu’s closest aides.

“Instead of this, how about contacting Chairman Jiang Zemin?”

Chang Xinju cautiously suggested to Tian Liangyu.

No matter how capable Tian Liangyu was, he could not stop the central government if they decided to take him down.

Of course, if Tian Liangyu was a clean official, there was a small chance that he could get through it unscathed.

But Chang Xinju, who had been working by his side, knew all about Tian Liangyu’s corruption.

Therefore, they had to get someone who could stand up against the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection involved.

“Chairman Jiang…”

Tian Liangyu knew as well as Chang Xinju that contacting Jiang Zemin was the best course of action.

However, he was hesitant to reach out to him.

“Did you make some kind of mistake in Beijing? If not, this is not the time to hesitate. If things continue like this, it’s not just me that’s in danger, Secretary Tian, you are too. If the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection is determined to take you down, it won’t matter how powerful you are.”

“What did you say?”

Tian Liangyu glared at Chang Xinju, taken aback by his blunt words.

“None of us here are clean, are we? The only person who can stop this is Chairman Jiang Zemin.”

The stark truth hit Tian Liangyu hard. Yet, all he could do was glare at Chang Xinju, unable to retort.

“Did you perhaps fall out of favor with Chairman Jiang Zemin?”

“That’s absurd. How could I possibly fall out with Chairman Jiang? But the situation on Chairman Jiang’s side is not good either.”

“…What in the world happened at this plenary meeting?”

“I’m not sure either. But it’s clear that the power has completely shifted from Chairman Jiang Zemin to Chairman Hu Jintao. And no one opposed it.”

Chang Xinju was at a loss for words, stunned by the shocking revelation.

Tian Liangyu was also deeply shaken by the scene.

He didn’t know the details. He had received no explanation from Jiang Zemin.

He had tried to arrange numerous meetings, but he hadn’t been able to meet him.

The only one he had been able to meet and speak with was Huang Ju.

However, Huang Ju was also a member of the Standing Committee. His signature was also on the order.

He also hadn’t given Tian Liangyu any sort of heads-up.

“It’s obvious that something happened behind the scenes that I don’t know about. Otherwise, this would be impossible.”

The faces of everyone who heard Tian Liangyu’s words became tense.

The people gathered here had staked their lives on Tian Liangyu.

If something happened to Tian Liangyu, it was as good as them being dead.

“Still, you should contact Chairman Jiang first. It’s better to discuss countermeasures after that.”

At Wu Zuming’s words, Tian Liangyu nodded and pulled out his phone.

Then, he dialed Jiang Zemin’s private number.

The phone kept ringing, but the other person did not pick up.

Tian Liangyu didn’t give up and tried several times to connect.

However, Jiang Zemin did not answer in the end.

“Damn it! Why isn’t he picking up!”

In the end, Tian Liangyu yelled and threw his phone.

The phone hit the wall and shattered into pieces.

* * *

After returning from Busan, I did absolutely nothing.

Aside from the occasional walk with Grandma, I spent my time lounging around at home.

I put aside all complicated thoughts and focused solely on resting.

“Mu-hyeok, come on out. Let’s eat rice cake soup.”

I was lying on the bed staring at the ceiling when I heard Grandma calling me. I got up.

I opened the door and sat at the dining table.

“Aigoo, wash your hands before you sit down.”

Grandma smacked me on the back. I was old enough, but she still treated me like a child.

I chuckled and went to the sink to quickly wash my hands.

Grandma shook her head at the sight.

She seemed a bit tired of my doing nothing since coming back from Busan.

Returning to my seat, Grandma placed a large aluminum bowl of rice cake soup in front of me.

Grandma crumbled some seaweed into the soup, pouring it from a plastic bag, while saying, “How long are you going to loaf around like this?”

“Why? Do you want me to leave?”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just that you’re always cooped up inside. Go out and do something. You’ll get stiff otherwise.”

Without replying to Grandma’s nagging, I picked up my spoon.

I knew that she’d feel sad if I left despite her words.

“I’m getting another year older too.”

“Even if you get another year older, you’re still a kid. Eat up.”

I put a spoonful of rice cake soup in my mouth and turned on the TV.

The news was showing President Yoon Chang-ho holding a New Year’s meeting with about fifty people from various fields.

— Hello, this is Yoon Chang-ho.

I kept eating my rice cake soup while listening to Yoon Chang-ho’s New Year’s greeting.

— There were so many things that happened last year.

He broke away from the tradition of New Year’s meetings that were mostly attended by political figures and instead invited ten people representing the general public.

“I really like this President.”

Startled by Grandma’s sudden comment while I was watching TV, I subconsciously stopped eating.

“You like the President?”

Grandma had never talked about politics in front of me before.

Of course, she always voted, but she never told me who she voted for or asked me about it.

“Isn’t he trying his best? I’ve lived through several presidents, but this is the first one that has ever communicated with the public like this.”

“Well, if you like him, that’s good. He’s a good president, but he’s a good person too.”

Yoon Chang-ho was a president with record-high approval ratings. It was safe to say that I had a hand in his popularity.

I finished eating the rice cake soup while chatting with Grandma.

“The rice cake soup that Grandma makes is always the best.”

When I put down the empty bowl, a small smile appeared on Grandma’s expressionless face.

“I heard that people are coming to greet us for the New Year today. Go wash up and get ready.”

“Alright, with your nagging…”

Hyeon-seong’s family and Myeong-su’s family were all planning to come for a New Year’s greeting.

I quickly finished showering and changing clothes, then sat down to watch TV while waiting for them to arrive.

President Yoon Chang-ho’s New Year’s address was over, and news programs were now interpreting it.

Grandma also finished putting on her makeup and sat next to me.

“Change the channel, why are you always watching boring news all the time?”

A glance at the clock told me it was time for the drama Grandma often watched.

Without complaint, I handed the remote to Grandma.

With a soft smile, Grandma quickly switched the channel to the drama and stopped there.

“So, are they dating now?”

“Yeah. But they are actually brothers, they got switched at the hospital.”

While we were watching the drama together, the doorbell rang.

Myeong-su’s family and Hyeon-seong’s family had arrived together.