Then let them offer their loyalty!

Page 180

Only a few astute individuals guessed at the possibility: could these two things have actually been one and the same thing?

Could the municipal council be influencing the selection of the deputy minister through the commendation ceremony?

At this time, when everyone in the investigation department was a little confused about how the situation would develop.

That afternoon, near the end of the workday.

The military's security department also sent a written letter of thanks to the investigation department.

The letter of appreciation thanked Qiu Tu for his crucial role in two major cases and praised him for laying a solid foundation for continued cooperation between the two agencies in future cases.

If it were just a commendation from the Municipal Council, the Investigation Department wouldn't have given it much thought.

But now another commendation from the military has arrived... and it's also during this sensitive period of recommending candidates for deputy minister. The entire investigation department immediately realized what was going on...

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Chapter 210 Promotion! (10,000 words, please subscribe)

Those who could enter the Investigation Bureau were all people with some education and ideas in those chaotic times.

Such people are usually much more quick-witted than ordinary people.

So after a little thought, they realized this was no coincidence, but rather a deliberate political statement.

In other words, both the municipal council and the military support Qiu Tucheng as the deputy minister of the political department.

In addition to the previous nomination of Qiu Tu by the Inspector General, Qiu Tu now has three departments at the same or higher level as the Investigation Bureau supporting him.

Such an exaggerated political statement really shocked the staff of the New Territories City Exploration Department, which had only been established for a year and had not yet experienced many trials and tribulations.

For a time, discussions about Qiu Tu's background were endless.

Everyone was curious about just how much influence Qiu Tu possessed to be able to get so many departments to speak on his behalf...

Meanwhile.

The Deputy Director's Office, 12th Floor, Investigation Department.

As Deputy Director Lai Shun listened to his secretary's report, a smile appeared on his face.

His style of doing things is clearly different from Yan Chen and Tang Feifei. This can be seen from the decoration of his office.

Compared to Tang Feifei's simple and elegant style and Yan Chen's gloomy and oppressive atmosphere, his office was conventional and very bright.

Stepping into this office immediately gives one a sense of uprightness and composure.

However, if you stay in this office for a while, you will find that although it looks very upright from the outside, it actually hides a lot of clever ideas and special arrangements inside.

This also perfectly matches his style and personality: outwardly calm and collected, but inwardly full of shrewdness and cunning.

At this moment, after listening to his secretary's report, Lai Shun touched his balding hair and said with a smile, "I didn't expect... that Director Qiu really has some tricks up his sleeve."

"It's amazing that so many people spoke up for him."

At this point, he picked up his teacup, took a sip of tea, and said, "However... inviting more people won't help; we still need Old Yan's approval."

"Old Yan isn't one to back down from a fight."

"So... all he's done now has no effect other than provoking Old Yan."

Meanwhile, on the same 12th floor, in the deputy director's office.

Tang Feifei had just finished listening to the report from her secretary, Su Xiaowan, a spy from the security department.

Her conclusion was similar to that of Director Lai.

"Although it was very impressive that we managed to get Commissioner Jiang and Director Dai to put pressure on the Investigation Bureau, it didn't have much effect."

Tang Feifei frowned slightly. "If Yan Chen sticks to her guns and doesn't let go, no one can interfere with the internal affairs of the Investigation Bureau."

"This will only cause everyone to lose face."

"Qiu Tu shouldn't be unaware of this. What is he thinking?"

This idea circulated among all the senior officials of the Investigation Bureau. For a time, everyone's focus shifted from who would become the deputy minister to whether Qiu Tu could actually become the deputy minister.

Just as everyone was eagerly anticipating the outcome, another order was issued from the director's office near the end of the workday.

It's still a list of promotions. It's still a list of promotions for deputy ministers of the political department.

However, this time the candidates have changed from Deputy Chief Qi, Section Chief Guan, and Section Chief Wang to equally competitive Deputy Chief Zheng and Section Chief Xin...

In other words, Qiu Tu's name is still not listed.

Yan Chen's response was almost a direct confrontation, effectively deflecting the pressure from the Municipal Committee, the Inspector General, and the military.

This caused everyone in the department to forget about going to get off work, and they were all excitedly watching the drama unfold.

Upon receiving the new promotion application, Tao Yaoyao immediately called Qiu Tu.

No one knows what the two talked about, only that shortly after hanging up, the municipal council returned the document.

However, the returned document contained a private instruction from Committee Member Jiang, consisting of just one word: "Approved".

This single word carries significant weight. It neither expresses agreement nor disagreement, nor does it specify which of the two will become the vice minister.

It can be said that the decision-making power for the vice minister has been returned to Yan Chen, allowing him to decide who the vice minister will be.

At this point, everyone understood that Yan Chen had withstood the pressure from the Municipal Council and the military, preventing them from interfering in the affairs of the Investigation Bureau.

The rest depends on whether Yan Chen chooses between Section Chief Xin and Deputy Section Chief Zheng.

It's safe to say that Qiu Tu has suffered a complete and utter defeat!

Then, at that moment, a third document was sent out from the Director's office, which was still a simple application for the appointment of a Deputy Minister.

However, this appointment only had one name on it: Qiu Tu.

This time, the city hall faxed the document back in just a few minutes. It still only contained Committee Member Jiang's approval, but this time it had two words: "Agreed."

When the Exploration Department's personnel department received this legally binding appointment document, everyone in the department was a little confused.

Even some veteran agents were a little confused about what had happened.

How did the vice minister candidate change from the other five section chiefs and division chiefs to Qiu Tu after just a few documents?!

What kind of riddles are these big shots playing?!

At this moment, Yan Chen, who had finally finished all his business, threw his pen on the table, then slowly stood up from his office and said in a low voice to Secretary Bai, "Let's go. Back to the villa."

"Yes!" Secretary Bai, who had been involved in the whole matter, stepped forward and draped a woolen coat over Yan Chen's shoulders, then followed Yan Chen out of the Investigation Bureau's office building.

Just as the two stepped out of the Investigation Bureau building, Qiu Tu was in an empty conference room on the 9th floor, holding a glass of foreign liquor, looking down at the two downstairs through the floor-to-ceiling window.

As if sensing something, Yan Chen turned around and looked up at the 9th floor.

Their eyes met across the distance, and Qiu Tu raised his glass to Yan Chen. A barely perceptible smile appeared on Yan Chen's lips, then she turned and got into her car...

Secretary Bai closed the car door for him, and then got into the car behind him.

Once the two VIPs were seated, the convoy slowly started moving and then gradually drove into the darkness...

However, after Yan Chen and Secretary Bai left, the entire Investigation Bureau was in an uproar.

What happened today has truly opened everyone's eyes.

The twists and turns in the selection of the deputy minister have attracted a lot of attention, and have also put Qiu Tu, who finally got the position, under the spotlight for the investigation department to study.

The deputy minister of the political department!

They are true deputy ministerial-level officials, and among the very top of the deputy ministerial ranks. They hold high positions and wield great power, even more so than the heads of many smaller departments.

Qiu Tu got it just like that?

And... it was obtained despite everyone being pessimistic about it, and despite being vetoed by the director at a high-level meeting?

How did Qiu Tu manage to do that?!

For a time, everyone in the Investigation Bureau was divided into three states.

The first type is excitement and joy. These are mostly subordinates connected to Qiu Tu. For example, Liu Fuping, Song Qing, Cao Dabiao, and Chen Feng. Or some detectives and section chiefs who have repeatedly shown goodwill towards Qiu Tu.

The second type is suspicion and disbelief. These are mostly department heads and section chiefs who have grudges against Qiu Tu. There are also some ordinary detectives who almost strained their backs while watching the drama unfold.

The third one is... Zheng Tao.

Ever since he made a bet with Qiu Tu at noon, Zheng Tao's mood has been like a rollercoaster.

Zheng Tao was initially excited when he learned that Qiu Tu had been vetoed by Yan Chen.

After all, nothing is more enjoyable than watching your enemy suffer.

However, he panicked when the Investigation Department's application for promotion submitted to the Municipal Council was rejected.

'There are even cases that get rejected?'

Zheng Tao was one of the veterans who came down from the shelter with Yan Chen and helped prepare for the establishment of the New Territories City. During the establishment of the New Territories City, he had seen all sorts of situations.

But to be honest, he had never seen the municipal council reject promotion applications from the investigation department and the military.

After all, wouldn't this cause the two organizations to fall out?

If it ends here, that's fine.

Zheng Tao felt that the great Director Yan would not disappoint him: after all, compared to Committee Member Jiang's weakness, Yan Chen's public image has always been known for its strength.

Having been humiliated like this, Yan Chen was unlikely to back down.

However, to Zheng Tao's surprise, both the municipal committee and the military sent Qiu Tu commendations.

This was practically dancing on Zheng Tao's heart.

On the one hand, he prayed that Yan Chen would withstand the pressure, and on the other hand, he was shocked by Qiu Tu's energy.

Several times he wanted to run up and question Qiu Tu about where he got so many trump cards!

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Chapter 211 The Inside Story of the Promotion (10,000 words, please vote!)

As Zheng Tao read through the commendations sent by the municipal committee and the military, word by word, he began to question his own existence.

He used to be a section chief in the political department, and now he's the deputy section chief. Why doesn't he receive any commendations from the municipal committee or the military?

Why should Qiu Tu be able to do it?

Moreover, what exactly is Qiu Tu's background that allows two major power institutions to put pressure on him?

At this point, Zheng Tao truly felt that the situation had exceeded his expectations.

There's nothing he can do now but pray that Yan Chen can withstand the pressure.

It's unclear whether his prayers worked. Even when faced with pressure from three powerful departments—the Inspectorate, the Municipal Council, and the Military—Yan Chen withstood the pressure and even retaliated against them.

—They directly submitted a list of newly promoted individuals that did not include Qiu Tu.

This outcome finally brought a sigh of relief to Zheng Tao, who had been following the matter closely. However, learning from his previous experience, he didn't celebrate with champagne halfway through, but instead waited anxiously for the municipal committee's next move.

This time, the municipal committee finally gave in. They stopped pressuring Yan Chen and agreed to his selection.

Although the approval of "permit" carried a certain reluctance, once approved, it was approved. As long as Yan Chen agreed, the selection would be finalized.

At this point, Zheng Tao finally became excited again, believing that he had finally won this difficult bet.

But then, unexpectedly, Yan Chen wrote Qiu Tu's name on the third promotion list.

Moreover, the city hall approved the list in just a few minutes, and it became fully effective.

This result left Zheng Tao completely bewildered.

He felt completely bewildered, unable to comprehend how Qiu Tu had become the vice minister, or why he had lost the bet.

This result left him extremely dissatisfied, so he could only sit blankly in his office...

I sat there for who knows how long. Maybe ten minutes, maybe half an hour.

It was the sound of knocking on the door that woke him up.

Hearing the knock on the door, Zheng Tao was startled out of his thoughts and looked up at the doorway.