After more than a month of full deliberation and preparation, the enlarged meeting of the Xichuan Provincial Party Committee was officially held on September 3, 2000 at the Provincial Party Committee Guest House, No. 44 Liuyin Road, Xiajiang City. The main leading comrades of the Xichuan Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Congress, and the Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, all members of the Provincial Party Committee, alternate members of the Provincial Party Committee, and the top party and government leaders of various localities, cities, and departments all attended this important meeting in accordance with the requirements of the Provincial Party Committee.

Zhong Mingren, secretary of the provincial party committee, said in his mobilization speech on the first day: "A political party, a country, and a nation cannot do without a sense of self-examination. The meeting we are holding today is a meeting of self-examination, summing up, and talking about lessons and lessons. Not for the Venerable, not for the sage, not for any chief, including Zhong Mingren. We must seek truth from facts, talk about what problems there are, talk about what lessons there are, and talk about what lessons we have, and be right about things and not about people. Of course, we can also talk about achievements, but my personal opinion is to ask comrades to talk less about achievements, because we have talked a lot about achievements in the past, and besides, we can't run away without talking about achievements, and we can't do anything without thoroughly discussing problems and lessons. Today is September 2000, and there are less than four months to go before the new century. We must not carry the old burdens of the 20 th century into the 21 st century, but strive to throw the old burdens behind the threshold of the 20 th century and travel lightly to meet the sun of the new century. Taking a step back, even if some problems cannot be solved for a while due to subjective and objective conditions, and the old burden will continue to be carried, we must also settle the accounts and see what treasures are in this old burden? When will I be able to unload it? ”

Zhong Mingren said it sincerely and emotionally, but he also did not lose the majesty and demeanor of a mature politician: "I have put forward the 'three represents,' and I hope that comrades will use these 'three represents' as a yardstick to measure all our past work and introspect themselves: Do we represent the advanced productive forces? Does it represent advanced ideology and culture? Does it represent the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people? There are a lot of questions, comrades! Today, I will talk about it by the way, and I will talk about it at the meeting in the future - first of all, I, the secretary of the provincial party committee, have not done enough, and I have made many mistakes in my past work! Moreover, my mistakes have also affected many comrades here to varying degrees, and affected the work of our province. How many Chu kings are there in our province? How many thin-waisted palace maids are there who starved to death and those who didn't? We must seriously clear our minds. also recognize this account in front: I, Zhong Mingren, am a king of Chu, and I, the king of Chu, can't hear the truth in many things, so I can't help but make mistakes! There is a book in the material bags of the comrades, which I suggested to be sent, called "The Manuscript of the History of the Ancient Kingdom of Xichuan", and you may not have had time to read it. I suggest that comrades take time out of their time during the meeting to look at the last kingdom part. At the end of the ancient kingdom of Xichuan, the king Yearong exhausted his national strength to expand the palace, the people everywhere rose up, and his subordinates set themselves up as kings, and the Central Plains army that had been defeated by the Xichuan iron cavalry swept in, the situation was as dangerous as an egg, and none of the civil and military officials told the king the truth, as a result, when the Central Plains army came to the city, the fate of the kingdom's destruction was irreparable. ”

In the end, Zhong Mingren solemnly made a request: "Comrades, here, I still have one request: From now on, whether it is at the meeting or at the meeting, whether it is in public or private, please stop calling me big boss." What kind of big boss am I? Our boss is the people, we are all public servants of the people, no matter how big the official is or how high the status is, we all work for the people, and we can't put the cart before the horse. This is actually a major matter of principle, which I have ignored in the past, and has been called out by everyone for many years! ”

At the meeting that afternoon, Li Dongfang made a long speech for the whole afternoon at the request of Zhong Mingren.

In retrospect, Li Dongfang still thought that this was an almost miraculous event, and he could not have dreamed of it half a year ago -- his speech at the enlarged meeting of the Standing Committee of the Xiajiang City CPC Committee was so cautious and cautious that many leading comrades in the province and city still called it a "secret report" with unclear meaning, and he was also linked to Khrushchev. After reporting to the meeting this time, Li Dongfang was very hesitant, afraid that Zhong Mingren would change his mind temporarily, so he carefully asked Zhong Mingren's opinion again: Is it not to talk about it? At least not on such a large scale? Zhong Mingren's attitude was very resolute and insisted that he speak. As a result, Li Dongfang had the only opportunity in his political career to speak freely at a meeting of the party's top leaders.

On the afternoon of September 3, when Li Dongfang faced the bright red party flag on the rostrum and walked onto the rostrum step by step, a long-lost sense of sacredness and ** arose.

Li Dongfang did seek truth from facts and spoke freely according to Zhong Mingren's requirements. All the issues that should be discussed have been discussed, such as the issue of top-ranking politics and intra-party democracy, the issue of a correct outlook on political achievements, the issue of fighting corruption and advocating clean government, and so on. It is by no means an ordinary general remark, but a series of specific events that have occurred and are taking place in the history of Xiajiang City. I didn't hide it for His Holiness and Sages, let alone for any of the governors, and there was both criticism and self-criticism.

When talking about the issue of political performance, Li Dongfang said: "As a leader of a local department, who doesn't want political performance? Who doesn't want to make a difference? The feudal officials in ancient times still knew that they would benefit one party for one term, let alone we, the responsible cadres of the party in the era of reform and opening up? However, after taking office as secretary of the Xiajiang Municipal Party Committee, in the face of this passive situation in Xiajiang, I came to understand that all our political achievements must be based on the basic point of representing the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people, and without this basic point, things will change, and some of our political achievements will be less reliable, which will be questionable, and perhaps they will be a scourge to the common people. As a veteran comrade who has worked in Xiajiang for a long time, I have an unshirkable responsibility -- after understanding this truth, I cannot be careless, dare not be careless, and even look ahead and backward on the road of the era. Therefore, for a period of time, there have been a lot of discussions and ridicule in the province and city, saying that I am weak and incompetent, and I have no courage. ”

Li Dongfang moved emotionally: "I don't admit that I am weak and incompetent." If I had been weak, I would not have made this statement today under the banner of the party. If I was incompetent, I would have turned a blind eye to the contradictions in Xiajiang, and I would not have caused such a big storm in the past six months. However, I still have to admit the account of not having the courage. I have no courage, and Secretary Zhong Mingren and many comrades know my situation well: I am the son of an ordinary farmer in Shayang County, and I almost starved to death in a barren land in my hometown when I ******. Since I was fifteen years old, I went to work on the river every year wrapped in an empty shell and a black jacket, and Secretary Zhong Mingren was still the secretary of our county party committee at that time, and he gave me an award. How can I, Li Dongfang, become the secretary of the municipal party committee of a provincial capital city in China from the son of a peasant? Relying on the cultivation of the organization and the support of the people, I have come to this point, and I am very satisfied. That's true. So, sometimes I don't understand, why are some of our comrades so bold? Hundreds of millions, billions, or even tens of billions of projects, he dares to decide as soon as his mind is hot, and he dares to be a governor and prime minister! Is he really sure to lead our people to a well-off life? I am not so sure, and I can only stay away from such courageous comrades. The party and the people handed over a Xiajiang city to me, and I was already sincerely afraid, trembling, and afraid from the bottom of my heart, afraid that any decision mistake would be sorry for the people, and let the people scold our party, our **, and our reform! ”

Knowing that Zhao Qigong was sitting on the rostrum, Li Dongfang still did not evade, which was never done to Li Dongfang: "When political achievements are emphasized to the extreme, they will inevitably go to the opposite side, and even go to the road of betrayal, betrayal of our people, our country, and our party!" When the problem of corruption among Xiajiang cadres began to be exposed step by step, a leading comrade with a few high posts told me on more than one occasion: Arresting more corrupt elements is not the political achievement of our Xiajiang leading body. Needless to say? Of course, this is not a political achievement, it is a defeat, and it is a painful mistake and mistake! The only way to correct mistakes and mistakes is to raise an iron fist to fight corruption and punish evil, strictly enforce party discipline and state law, and use actions to obtain the forgiveness of the people and the party, instead of using methods such as instigating and shielding corrupt elements to safeguard the so-called political achievements! -- At this time, the comrades should see more clearly: The political achievements that these comrades talk about are already at odds with the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people, and the difference is 108,000 miles! This kind of political achievement is actually just a disguised statement of his own personal political interests, and when he regards his own political interests as supreme, he begins to betray the people psychologically and ideologically! ”

The more Li Dongfang spoke, the more excited he became, and there were bright tears floating in his eyes: "And how can we betray the people who raised us?" Xichuan is an economically underdeveloped poor province, and Xiajiang City is in a better situation, but it is not rich. From Xiushan to Qinghu to Xiajiang, many of our fathers and brothers have not yet completely solved the problem of food and clothing, so Secretary Zhong Mingren and the provincial party committee, with the support of the central government, have done their best to engage in immigration. Several central cities in our province also have 100,000 or even hundreds of thousands of laid-off workers. Our Xiajiang International Industrial Park has more than 9,000 people this time. In such a situation, can we still protect those corrupt elements who spend a lot of money in the bright lights for the sake of personal political interests?! Where is the party spirit? Where is the conscience? Like that Tian Zhuangda, he swept away 300 million, or Hong Kong dollars! Like that Chen Zhongcheng, the stolen money that has been verified so far has reached more than 2.3 million! This is all people's fat and people's ointment! The day before yesterday, when I went to inspect the work in the resettlement area of Shayang County, some peasant comrades gathered around me and asked: How many cows can Tian Zhuangda and Chen Zhongcheng buy with all this money? How many years can they pay agricultural taxes? Comrades, I am ashamed to answer these kind peasant brothers! The people nourish us with their blood and sweat, let us represent their fundamental interests, do we represent? The will of the people cannot be disobeyed, the will of the people cannot be bullied, and after retirement, we will also be one of them......"

Li Dongfang's speech aroused great repercussions at the meeting, and the meeting became more and more enthusiastic, and an atmosphere of speaking freely was truly formed.

On the afternoon of the third day of the meeting, that is, on the afternoon of 6 September, Zhong Mingren made a special speech with self-criticism as the main content.

In his speech, Zhong Mingren reviewed the road traversed by Xiajiang City and Xichuan Province over the past 21 years of reform and opening up, profoundly analyzed the gradual process of change in his own thinking and work style, and admitted with great pain: "Comrades, the main responsibility for not being able to hear the truth lies with me, the secretary of the provincial party committee. was called by everyone one by one, I really thought I was the boss of Xichuan, the boss of the people, and I always felt that I was smart in everything, always smart, right in everything, always right. The party's fine tradition of seeking truth from facts was gradually lost, and materialism and dialectics were gradually lost. The emperor of the feudal era was 'I am the country', and I, Zhong Mingren, am the 'I am the municipal party committee' and 'I am the provincial party committee'. Of course, compared to me Zhong Mingren, you are a palace maid with a thin waist; Compared to your subordinates, you may also be another King of Chu! Therefore, at the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee on democratic life, Comrade Zhao Qigong sharply criticized me, saying that my long-term paternalistic style has had a negative impact on the cadres of the whole province and that the consequences are serious. I couldn't accept it at that time," I turned my head to look at Zhao Qigong, who was sitting on the right side of the rostrum, "-- Comrade Qigong, in front of so many comrades today, I solemnly say: I sincerely accept your opinion!" You are right in your criticism, this is indeed a big problem in my work, a very serious problem, and it is precisely because of this that there will be such an incredible bad incident as Xiajiang International Industrial Park! ”

Speaking of this, Zhong Mingren excitedly grabbed a pile of materials placed on the podium, showed it to the participants, and asked the participants: "Comrades, what has happened in the Xiajiang International Industrial Park in the past 15 years? Many comrades here know it! At least the provincial and municipal environmental protection bureaus are clear, the Xiajiang Municipal Party Committee and the city are clear, the Qinghu Municipal Party Committee and the city are clear, and some counties and cities downstream that are affected by pollution are also clear! But apart from Li Dongfang and Comrade He Jiaguo, which of you has told me the truth? Who? Even if I am a patriarch, I am still an old Communist Party member, and I will never ignore the lives and deaths of millions of people in the lower reaches of the Xiajiang River for the sake of my political achievements and face! I said, comrades, you have disappointed me and made me sad too much, and this fact shows that you do not believe that I, the secretary of the provincial party committee, will put the fundamental interests of the people first! The table slammed and became extremely angry, "I, Zhong Mingren, am the patriarch and the king of Chu with a good thin waist, but after all, I am not a tiger, and I won't eat you!" It's nothing more than the black gauze hat on his head, so scared? If you don't become an official, you can't live?! It's been fifteen years, every year it's been a small pollution, six times it's a big pollution, and the economic loss is billion, and you guys have kept it a secret from me! It has seriously damaged the ecological environment of the Xiajiang River Basin, made our people pay a heavy price, and trapped me Zhong Mingren in injustice, and trapped our Xichuan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China in injustice! ”

For a while, the entire venue was silent, and the participants were all calmed by Zhong Mingren's stern questioning.

Zhong Mingren was silent for a long time before his tone softened again: "I don't want to shirk any responsibility for criticizing the comrades concerned so harshly, my responsibility is my responsibility, and I will not shirk it." Your responsibility is your responsibility, and no one can push it if they want to. Don't say anything to me about 'upholding the authority of the leader' anymore, because the authority of any leader cannot be maintained in this way. The comrades present here are all members of the Communist Party, and they are not ordinary party members, but responsible cadres of various localities and departments of the Xichuan Provincial CPC Committee. Let me ask you, comrades: Which individual did you swear to when you joined the party, or did you swear to our party's flag? Did you forget the oath when you took the oath, comrades? Have you forgotten that song of the proletarians of the world? I think some comrades have forgotten! I'm afraid that in addition to flattery, it is a pop song! Zhong Mingren waved his hand and solemnly proposed, "So, here today, I, an old party member, have a suggestion: let us revisit the "Internationale" and remember the words in "The Internationale": Fight for the truth!" Now, comrades, please all stand up! ”

The participants in the audience stood up one after another, and the members of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee on the rostrum also stood up.

Zhong Mingren personally commanded, and in an instant, the singing on and off the stage resounded-

Arise, hungry and cold slaves,

Arise, all the people who are suffering.

Full of blood has boiled,

Fight for the truth......

The meeting of the day ended with the sound of the "Internationale", and Zhong Mingren and some of the old comrades present sang with tears in their eyes.

……

The meeting then proceeded for two more days.

On the morning of the last day, under the side of the governor Bai Zhiwen, Zhao Qigong was forced to do an inspection.

Zhao Qigong's attitude seemed to be sincere, but in the eyes of comrades who knew him well, he was very politically scheming. Zhao Qigong took responsibility for using the wrong group of cadres during his tenure as secretary of the Xiajiang Municipal Party Committee, but he used Zhong Mingren's words to talk about the king of Chu and the palace maids, and about his own patriarchal style, which not only showed that his problem was the same thing as Zhong Mingren's problem, but also hinted at the responsibility of Zhong Mingren's initiator. Zhao Qigong admitted that he had a confused understanding of the anti-corruption issue, saying that he had a serious ideology of self-centeredness, and that he had turned his love for his subordinate cadres into unprincipled protection, and that it was because he attached too much importance to the feelings between comrades that he hurt his feelings for the party and the people to a certain extent. In his speech, he also talked about his experience of clean government many times, consciously or unconsciously, saying that he, a proletarian, had seen through it a long time ago, and he would not bring it with him in life or take it away in death.

Zhao Qigong's remarks aroused great dissatisfaction among Wang Peisong, deputy secretary of the provincial party committee and secretary of the provincial discipline inspection commission.

On the third day after the meeting was adjourned, Li Dongfang went to the provincial party committee to do business, and met Wang Peisong in the courtyard of the provincial party committee, and Wang Peisong informed Li Dongfang of a new situation: Chen Zhongcheng violated the law by enforcing the law and tipping off Tian Zhuangda, who had absconded abroad, which almost caused serious economic consequences, and he himself accepted bribes of 2.33 million yuan, and the court tried the death sentence in the first trial. After yesterday's verdict was handed down, Chen Zhongcheng immediately appealed, and at the same time explained two problems with Zhao Qigong: One is the relationship between his wife and Zhao Qigong -- in order to climb up, Chen Zhongcheng even gave his newlywed wife to Zhao Qigong back then. There is also the relationship between Zhao Qigong and Zhao Juanjuan. The two are lovers, Zhao Qigong took Zhao Juanjuan to Beijing to run the official, spent a lot of money, and gave away three diamond rings worth hundreds of thousands of dollars alone.

After Wang Peisong reported the situation, he said meaningfully to Li Dongfang: "I want to see how long this politician can last!" ”

Li Dongfang smiled implicitly and said to Wang Peisong: "Can these two clues be implemented?" You must not underestimate this man's political stamina! ”