area51novel Chapter 142 Detonation
Chapter 142 Detonation
"That's all I have to say, thank you everyone!"
As Sha Ruijin bowed in gratitude, thunderous applause erupted from the audience.
Sha Ruijin strode down the stage and shook hands warmly with everyone.
Especially with Zhang Shuli.
This newly appointed deputy secretary is indeed very sensible. Not only did he give the eco-resort project the green light all the way, but he also set up a special team to express his support.
Excellent! Sha Ruijin is very satisfied.
Inside the meeting room of the Standing Committee of the Hantong Provincial Party Committee, everyone prepared to leave after the speeches were finished.
Gao Yuliang received a text message on his phone:
It has been detonated.
Gao Yuliang snorted coldly, put his phone in his pocket, put on his signature gentle smile, and slowly walked away with his thermos.
That is, on the afternoon that Sha Ruijin announced the commencement of the eco-resort project.
The phone lines to the Luzhou Municipal Party Committee and Government are about to be ringing off the hook!
Deputy Party Secretary and Acting Mayor Zhang Shuli was in his office, reflecting on Sha Ruijin's speech that morning and imagining how Secretary Sha would praise him after the resort project started.
Suddenly, the office door was pushed open.
The secretary-general of the Luzhou Municipal Government, holding several documents in his hand, said anxiously:
"Mayor, something's happened! The funding for the eco-resort project has dried up!"
Zhang Shuli's smile froze on his face. On the computer screen, Sha Ruijin's statement was still "to ensure the safety of project funds and strengthen supervision."
After confirming that the Secretary-General was not joking, Zhang Shuli jumped to his feet, his voice sharp with panic, and said:
"What happened? How could the cash flow be disrupted on the first day of work!"
"It's absolutely true. I just received the notification that the project's special fund account has been frozen by the finance department." The secretary-general wiped the sweat from his brow and said:
"The special fund account has run out of funds!"
Zhang Shuli slumped into a chair.
After a long pause, he finally managed to squeeze out the words:
"Who, who is framing me... This is an illegal freeze! On the first day of work, the provincial party secretary had just given a speech, and the finance bureau stabbed me in the back!"
As he spoke, Zhang Shuli pounded his fist on the desk.
After a long while, Zhang Shuli's eyes were bloodshot, and he roared:
"Get the finance bureau chief over here! Ask him what he's up to, daring to freeze even special funds!"
The secretary-general had already conducted the relevant investigation, so he was very confident in his report, but he still hesitated whether to inform Zhang Shuli, who was on the verge of losing control, of the results.
"Mayor, I contacted the Finance Bureau immediately, but the result... might not be very optimistic..."
The Secretary-General, still adhering to his duty, placed the investigation results on Zhang Shuli's desk, his voice growing increasingly somber:
"The reason the Finance Bureau froze the special funds... is that the food court's debts need to be repaid before construction can begin..."
Zhang Shuli was speechless with astonishment and angrily said:
"Debts? What debts did the food court owe? Before the demolition, the auditing, business registration, and housing and construction departments all conducted investigations, and the food court had no debt problems! How come it's now burdened with debts after the demolition!"
The secretary-general's expression grew increasingly serious, and he said:
"Further verification revealed that Zhao Ruilong's food court signed an additional agreement with Luzhou City back then, granting it exclusive franchise rights in the Crescent Lake area! And this right was mortgaged to an overseas lending company three months ago, securing a loan of 800 million yuan!"
Zhang Shuli was completely bewildered. As a cadre from the discipline inspection front, he was utterly clueless about the intricacies of the business world and could only stammer as he asked:
"What...what does this mean? Speak plainly, I don't understand!"
The secretary-general said helplessly:
"Simply put, the exclusive franchise rights are held by a foreign company! Anyone who wants to develop a project in Crescent Lake, except for the company with these rights, must first pay off their debts! The Finance Bureau has already given the specific repayment amount, which has ballooned to 1.2 billion!"
Zhang Shuli couldn't catch his breath and fainted.
The secretary-general was immediately flustered and exclaimed:
"Mayor! Mayor! Someone, call a doctor! Call a doctor!"
The hidden dangers of the Luzhou City Eco-Resort Project have now been exposed.
Under Zhao Ruilong's instructions, the overseas pledging company launched the operation at the same time that Sha Ruijin announced the official commencement of construction.
The collection process has been initiated.
If construction is allowed to proceed, the funds in the special fund must be used first to repay debts.
Left with no other option, the Finance Bureau froze the account.
This incident caused a huge uproar in Luzhou.
Upon reaching Handong, one encounters towering waves.
The Finance Bureau of Lüzhou City prioritized reporting to the Finance Department of Handong Province to discuss whether to report to the highest level.
After a moment's thought, Liu Zhifeng, the director of the provincial finance department, decided to report to the vice governor in charge of finance first.
Upon receiving the news, the vice governor dared not delay and immediately reported to the governor and the executive vice governor.
This left even Governor Liu and Zhu Zhichao dumbfounded.
Everyone knows who is pushing hard behind the eco-resort project.
This bombshell has now been dropped, making it a serious political incident.
Sha Ruijin is largely to blame.
The officials in Lüzhou will likely have to deal with a large number of them.
As for the relevant municipal departments under Luzhou City, they might end up in jail.
After fully understanding the whole story, Governor Liu paced anxiously in his office with his hands behind his back, muttering to himself:
"Absurd, utterly absurd! How could something like this happen on the first day back to work after the New Year!"
Zhu Zhichao pondered for a moment, then said:
"Governor, I think there's something fishy about this. According to the finance department's investigation, the exclusive franchise rights were urgently pledged to a foreign company three months ago. That time coincides with Yi Xuexi, the then acting mayor of Lüzhou City, negotiating with Zhao Ruilong about the demolition of the food court. Do you think it's possible that Zhao Ruilong knew the food court had to be demolished and hastily prepared this, planting a time bomb to deliver a fatal blow to us?"
Finance Director Liu Zhifeng agreed, saying:
"I agree with Governor Zhu's view. Judging from the timeline, it's highly likely that the food court was Zhao Ruilong's trap."
Governor Liu nodded approvingly, but could only manage a wry smile as he said:
"Zhichao, Zhifeng, I know what you're saying, but I only have three questions for you."
Zhu Zhichao and Liu Zhifeng listened attentively. After a moment of contemplation, Governor Liu said:
"First, with such a huge potential problem in such a large area as Handong, why didn't anyone discover it? Second, Zhao Ruilong may have planted the problem, but he didn't propose building an eco-resort; that was Handong's own initiative. Third, and most importantly..."
Governor Liu paused, looked at the two men, and said with an extremely serious expression:
"Why is Secretary Sha so determined to develop an eco-resort and why is he so determined to promote it?"
The office was completely silent.
The seriousness of the situation once again surprised the two of them.
If we follow Governor Liu's logic, then the entire incident involves Sha Ruijin, the Party Secretary of Handong Province.
It seems like get out of class can just end here!