Power and Wealth

The more Dong Xuebing wants to do something for the villagers, the more difficulty he had to face!

Today, Dong Xuebing was going through all the Hui Tian Village Station’s investigation and case records he got from the Bureau’s Office and Chu Feng. These were records of unsolved cases that happened in Hui Tian Village this year. One of the cases is about gambling and assault in a clubroom. Another case is someone’s dog had bitten someone and refuses to pay compensation. There is another case of drink driving and damaging a farmer’s field. These were not criminal cases and there were more than 20 of them. Dong Xuebing knew these cases were unsolved because the people involved have relationships or connections with the leaders in the various departments of the County government or bureaus. They are either friends or relatives of some leaders and used their connections to stop the investigations.

Dong Xuebing threw the records on the desk and rubbed his temples. He wanted to arrest all the culprits in these records for the villagers, but in China, connections are more important than anything else. This is the unspoken rule. If you don’t give those leaders’ faces, you will be in trouble and might even lose your job.

Ring, ring, ring...

Dong Xuebing took out his phone, and it was his mother calling.

“Xiao Bing, are you busy? I will just make things short. Old Zhuangzi’s younger son is bitten by a dog, and the police station is not doing anything against the dog owner.” Luan Xiaoping did not want to give problems to her son. But Old Zhuangzi is a close neighbor of them, and she needs to help them. “His leg is badly mauled by that dog... We don’t need the police to arrest the owner or what. But he should at least pay for the medical fees and compensate him some money.”

Dong Xuebing replied. “I know. Let’s talk about this another time.”

“What do you mean another time? You are a deputy Chief, and you don’t have the authority to look into this?”

“There are lots of things which you don’t understand. I will help you ask around, alright?” Dong Xuebing had just read about this case and knew the dog’s owner is a relative of the County’s Public Security Bureau Finance Department’s Deputy Section Chief. That’s why Liu Dahai and the officers did not handle it like other cases.

Connections!!! Dong Xuebing hated all these connections.

If Dong Xuebing were to punish these people harshly, he would offend the leaders, and if he let them off lightly, it will be unfair to the villagers. This is too disgusting!

Ring, ring, ring... Dong Xuebing’s office phone rang.

Liu Dahai barked. “Chief Dong, I don’t understand why the Bureau is not giving us our cash incentives. We got to settle our salaries ourselves, we got to pay for the PCs and office supplies ourselves, and we still have to settle the cash incentives promised to us, ourselves? The station is already penniless! How are we going to find the money? When I called the Finance department, they kept pushing me to someone else! What the f**k! If this carries on, I will quit! All my men are furious!”

Dong Xuebing frowned. “What cash incentives?”

“This is a program introduced last year as a form of encouragement. The officers who had good performances issued the most fines or made significant contributions will receive cash incentives. Every year, it is the bureau that hands out the budget for the station. Earlier this year, the Bureau’s Finances is tight, and the incentive is delayed for over a month. But now, other stations were given the incentives except for us.”

“What did the finance department say?”

“They said they still have not finish calculating the incentives and asked us to settle it ourselves. How can they do this to us? The officers from other stations had already received their incentives except for us.”

“Old Liu, don’t be so agitated. I remember we have just collected the money for the explosives? Use that money as incentives for your men first.”

Liu Dahai said: “You told us that the Bureau did not approve our procurement request, but those things cannot be delayed. This is why we had used all of the station’s money to procure those things, and the station does not any money left. I don’t even let our officers drive police cars. Why? Because the station is too poor to even afford petrol!” Liu Dahai was exaggerating, but Hui Tian Village Station’s finances are in terrible shape and the Bureau refuses to issue the money.

Dong Xuebing frowned. “Don’t worry about this. I will hurry them.”

Liu Dahai said. “Chief Dong, I am not angry with you today. I am in a bad mood because of those people from the Finance department. Do you know Police officers, Da Leng and Er Leng, the pair of twins from our station? They had solved a big case earlier this year, and Da Leng was injured in the course of duty. Their incentives should have been issued earlier. They have a younger sister who is studying in the university. All of her sister’s expenses are paid by her two brothers, and if they still don’t get their incentives, their sister might not continue her studies!”

Dong Xuebing knew the Finance department is one of the departments under Hu Yiguo. The other stations had received the incentives except for the station under Dong Xuebing. It was apparent the Finance department is making things difficult for Dong Xuebing!

Dong Xuebing was in a bad mood as he picks up the phone to call the finance department’s Deputy Section Chief Liu. “I’m Dong Xuebing. When will the incentives for the officers from Hui Tian Village Station be issued? The other stations had received their incentives a few days ago!”

Deputy Section Chief Liu knew Chief Dong will be calling him and had prepared an excuse. “Chief Dong, it is not that we are not issuing the incentives. Section Chief Wang, who does the tabulation of the incentives, still have not get back to us. How about you check with him?” Deputy Section Chief Liu pushes the blame to Deputy Section Chief Wang, who was also in the Finance department.

Dong Xuebing narrowed his eyes. “You are trying to push the blame to someone else?”

Deputy Section Chief Liu smiled. “I don’t dare. We really still have not finish calculating their incentives.”

After hanging up the phone, Dong Xuebing called Deputy Section Chief Wang. These people seem to have discussed this beforehand. Deputy Section Chief Wang said. “Chief Dong, we are doing our best to tabulate the incentives. Please wait for a few more days.”

“How many days?”

“I am not sure. Anyway, I will hurry my men to get the job done.”

Dong Xuebing can’t be bothered with him. Who knows how long his ‘a few days’ will last? He called the head of the Finance Department’s Wu Jun. “Section Chief Wu, your department is very efficient. Your men still know how to delay the officers’ salaries and incentives!”

Wu Jun smiles. “Are you talking about the incentives? Oh, two days ago, our PC had some problems, and we are now calculating their incentives. Chief Dong, Hui Tian Village Station, has the most money compared to the rest of the villages. They should be able to issue the incentives to their officers first. Please ask them to issue the incentives first, and we will transfer the money over another day. I hope you can understand.”

Dong Xuebing smiled. “The head of the department is still the best at finding excuses and pushing away responsibilities. You are really the best example for everyone at the grassroots level.”

Wu Jun had heard of Chief Xiao Dong’s sarcastic remarks and laughed to himself. “We also have our difficulties. Please be understanding.”

Dong Xuebing slammed the phone down!

Motherf**kers! Every one of them dares to step all over my head!! Rejecting our application for new PCs is fine. The incentives were promised to the officers by the bureau. How can they drag the payments?! Dong Xuebing did not call anyone else and did not look for Liang Chengpeng. He does not want to let Chief Liang or other leaders help him whenever he faces problems. Dong Xuebing will be looked down upon if he asks for help. He got to settle this by himself!

Dong Xuebing looked at the pile of records on his desk.

Settle this by ourselves? Fine! They are asking for this!

Dong Xuebing looked at his watch and grabbed all the case records and his bag. He walked quickly to the Bureau’s office and enter Hu Silian’s office.

Hu Silian got a shock and quickly walk over. “Chief Dong, just give me a call if you need anything. Why are you coming over?”

Dong Xuebing replied. “Sister Hu, is the Buicks MPV still around?”

“Yes, but the finance department said they need to use it today.”

Dong Xuebing nodded. “Give me the keys.”

Hu Silian smiled awkwardly. “Chief Dong, this... this is not right...”

The finance department had made things difficult for Dong Xuebing, and Dong Xuebing will not give them any face. He reached out his hand. “Ask them to look for me when they are here. Oh, I will be at the Hui Tian Village office for the next few days. Will there be any problem if I return the car a few days later?” Hu Silian didn’t dare to refuse Dong Xuebing and passed him the keys. This was the first time she saw Dong Xuebing being so overbearing.

Hui Tian Village.

When the car enters the station, Dong Xuebing noticed the gloomy expressions on the police officers’ faces.

“Since there are no incentives, why did the bureau promise us in the first place?! They are lying to us!”

“Your family’s financial condition is better than mine. My family is going to starve soon!”

“I think our money had been taken by those people in the finance department!”

“Shhh... I think that is Chief Dong’s car.”

The officers greeted Chief Dong after he alighted. Dong Xuebing nodded to them and noticed two very tanned officers looking identical. They were in their early 30s and should be the twins Liu Dahai told him earlier. Dong Xuebing asked. “You two is Da Leng and Er Leng?”

Da Leng never expects Chief Dong to know him. He quickly nodded.

Er Leng stood there, scratching his head and smiled at Dong Xuebing.

Dong Xuebing saw the torn and worn-out shoes they were wearing and knew Liu Dahai was not lying. These two brothers should be in poverty. “I heard you have a sister in University? Haha, where is her university and how are her results?”

Da Leng replied proudly. “She is studying in Fengzhou City. My sister’s result is outstanding!” The countryside is different from major cities like Beijing. It’s rare for these villagers to have a graduate in their families. When Da Leng remembered his sister’s situation, he asked worryingly. “Chief Dong, the... when will the incentive be issued? My sister does not have any money now. If I still don’t send her money, she will starve.”

Dong Xuebing did not reply to him and looked at Da Leng’s right arm, which was still wrapped in bandages. “Is this the injury you got earlier this year?”

Er Leng said: “My brother tried to restrain a robber and the robber took out a knife and attack him. He is lucky not to get killed. Station Chief Liu had applied for 2,000 RMB incentive for my brother, but... now...” Both Brothers had risked their lives for their younger sister. But in the end, they did not receive the incentive they were promised.

Dong Xuebing patted their shoulders. “Don’t worry. I am here to settle this problem.”

5 minutes later, Dong Xuebing found Liu Dahai. “Old Liu, thanks for working hard. Get all the officers, including those at home, over for a meeting now!”

Liu Dahai asked. “This...”

Dong Xuebing did not explain. “I will be waiting in the meeting room. I have some tasks for you all.”

The meeting room is a bigger office, and Dong Xuebing called Chu Feng to enter with him. He placed all the records on a table and asked Chu Feng about the details of each of them. Chu Feng was excited. He knew he had gained Chief Dong’s trust during the previous operation. He did not hold back and told Dong Xuebing everything he knew about those cases.

After a while, all the officers entered the room. Liu Dahai, Instructor Li Sanmiao, and Deputy Station Chief Chen Fa were also there.

This was not a big office, and there were insufficient chairs. Many officers could only stand at the back.

Dong Xuebing did not use the microphone and looked at everyone. “I know everyone here is very concern about your incentives. Yes. Our officers are risking their lives on the frontlines and work harder than anyone else. You all still don’t get overtime pay and face danger anytime. The only thing the bureau can repay to you all is incentives. But I need to tell all of you that I had spoken to the leader of our Bureau’s Finance Department. Their side has some problems and needs to recalculate your incentives. They will not be issuing the incentives soon!”

What Dong Xuebing said was demoralizing, and some officers were furious.

“They are doing this on purpose!”

“That’s right! How come the officers in other stations can get their incentive and not us?!”

Liu Dahai looked at Dong Xuebing speechlessly. He felt Dong Xuebing was trying to blow up this matter. “Keep quiet!”

Instructor Li Sanmiao added. “The bureau is facing some difficulties, and we should be understanding!”

Da Leng, who was standing at the back, shouted: “But who is understanding to us?!”

Dong Xuebing was pleased to see all the officers getting agitated. He was also furious and raised his hand. “Listen to me! The Finance Department head asked me to settle this ourselves. But I believe everyone here knows about our station’s financial situation. I just want to ask everyone if any of you have ideas?” The officers kept quiet. What ideas can they think of? Dong Xuebing looked at everyone and said: “Since you all don’t have any ideas, I have an idea!”

Liu Dahai, Li Sanmiao, and the officers were stunned.

Dong Xuebing threw the case records he organized earlier on the table. “Since the head of the Finance Department want us to settle this ourselves, then we will settle it ourselves! I will be assigned missions to each one of you. If you all can complete the missions, I promise that everyone will get their incentives immediately, and the incentives will be higher than what you all should be getting! Everyone here will get at least 500 RMB more!”

Huh? They can get their incentives and still get extra?

The officers got excited. “Chief Dong! What are the missions? We promise we will complete it!”

A few older officers and the leaders like Liu Dahai were not that naïve. There is no free lunch in this world. Is Chief Dong asking them to fight against the international drug trafficking ring?

Chu Feng was the only person there who knew what Chief Dong was going to do and smiled helplessly.

Dong Xuebing cleared his throat. “The missions are straightforward. Wang Mingming’s dog had bitten others and the villagers had called me to ask for help. I want 2 men to bring him back! Sun Dazhou had stolen many corns and damage the villagers’ farm. I need two men to bring him back! Zheng Xiaozhong went into a drunken rage and smashed a restaurant. He also assaulted some people. This case has been hanging there for two months! I want him brought back to the station! Also, the villagers had reported more than once about gambling activities in the Chess and Games Clubroom. Fights also occur there frequently. I will go there personally. Da Leng, Er Leng, and Chu Feng, you all will follow me!”

Liu Dahai, Li Sanmiao, and the officers were shocked!

Who is Wang Mingming? He is a relative of Deputy Section Chief Liu from the Finance Department! Who is Sun Dazhou? He is the son of an old comrade of a leader in the finance department! Who is Zheng Xiaozhong? He is Finance Department’s Deputy Section Chief Wang’s schoolmate! Finance Department’s head, Wu Jun, had invited to the opening of the Chess and Games Clubroom! The ones Dong Xuebing wanted to arrest were related to the Public Security Bureau! This is the reason why no one dares to touch them in the past! Chief Dong’s mission to the officers is to bring these people back?!

Chief Dong is... furious???

Liu Dahai immediately said. “Chief Dong, these cases are already over. Should we...”

Dong Xuebing replied emotionlessly. “Over? The villagers suffered losses, and some of them were injured, and those culprits are still scot-free! How can this be considered over?! Bring them back! I will answer if anything goes wrong!” Dong Xuebing looked at the officers. “During our previous operation, Old Zheng tried to leak our movements. I believe all of you have heard of this. I don’t want to see such things happening again! If anyone of you is caught leaking news of our operation, I will not let him off lightly!”

Da Leng replied excitedly: “Rest assure, Chief Dong! We will bring all of them back!”

Another officer added. “We will complete this mission and arrest every one of them!”

Many of the officers here have a strong sense of justice and these people with connections had been bullying the villagers. But because of the leaders from the bureau, the officers had to let them off. The officers’ anger against these people had been suppressed in their hearts and coupled with the finance department holding their incentives back, they were about to explode. Chief Dong had promised to answer if anything goes wrong and this was the breaking point! All the officers were determined to arrest these people!

Li Sanmiao sensed something was off and looked at Liu Dahai: “Old Liu!”

Liu Dahai had also made his decision. It was the finance department breaking the rules first. When they needed the officers’ help to stop the investigations against their friends and relatives, they just call up. But now, they are holding back the officers’ incentives! You all are asking for it! Liu Dahai saw Chief Xiao Dong will be facing all the pressure and decided to go all out. “Listen to Chief Dong! Arrest them!”

Dong Xuebing turns to Liu Dahai. “Old Liu, you are the Station Chief. You should be the one assigning the duties.”

Liu Dahai did not reject and start assigning the officers.

Although Dong Xuebing was forced to do this, this was also killing two birds with one stone. He was still thinking of ways to teach those people with connections a lesson for the villagers! After all the officers were assigned with tasks, Dong Xuebing said. “All of you know who you all are arresting? I don’t care which leader calls up! I want all of you to go by the book and bring them back today! Alright! Go!”

Liu Dahai walks over. “Chief Dong, I will go to the Chess and Games Clubroom with you.”

“Ok.” Dong Xuebing drove off with Chu Feng, Da Leng, and Er Leng towards the north.

Chess and Games Clubroom. People were playing mahjong inside, and it was crowded.

The owner of this Chess and Games Clubroom was introduced to Public Security Bureau Finance Department’s head, Section Chief Wu Jun, through a friend. He gave him some money and invited him over on the opening day. After that day, no police officers conducted inspections there, and the owner got bolder. He never expects the police would raid his clubroom suddenly. This clubroom is different from the ones in Beijing, where they use chips. The people here used cash to gamble and were caught red-handed!

The owner was stunned to see police officers entering the clubroom. “Officers, officers... this is a misunderstanding.”

Dong Xuebing points to the mahjong table in front of them. “All the money is on the table! What’s there to misunderstand? You are very daring to operate a gambling den so openly! Xiao Chu, confiscate all the money!”

Chu Feng nodded and went over to collect money from all the mahjong tables.

The boss doesn’t understand why the police officers decided to raid his clubroom so suddenly. “I know your Section Chief Wu Jun. I will call him now!”

Dong Xuebing looks at the owner: “I don’t care who you know! Do you know it is an offense to operate a gambling den? I heard fights occur here frequently! Do you think we will not do anything to you? Da Leng, Er Leng! Seal the shop!” Dong Xuebing turns to the owner. “Based on the regulations, your fine is 40,000 RMB!”

Liu Dahai was shocked. 40,000 RMB? What regulation has a fine of so much money?

Dong Xuebing was very firm because he knows that on the grassroots level, no one will talk about rules and regulations with you. That’s why Dong Xuebing decided to do as the Romans do. He must be unreasonable to suppress these people!

The owner was shocked when he heard the fine. He was only operating a small clubroom and take months to make 40,000 RMB! He quickly walked to the back of the shop and gave Wu Jun a call. When Wu Jun heard what happened, he was furious and immediately called Liu Dahai!

Liu Dahai looked at the incoming call but did not answer.

Dong Xuebing looks at Liu Dahai’s phone and smiles to the owner: “Section Chief Wu is calling to help you? Fine. Since he is calling, I must give him face! The fine is 50,000 RMB!” I went to look for you for the incentives and you pushed me to others? Now you want me to give you face?! Go to hell!

The owner was shocked. The fine was increased to 50,000 RMB?!

This time, Dong Xuebing wants to take care of these people and raise money for the station. The finance department had asked the station to settle their financial shortage themselves, and imposing fines on these people is a must! “You don’t want to pay the fine? No problem! Da Leng, bring the mahjong tables back to our station!”

Da Leng was overjoyed. “Yes, Sir!”

The owner immediately knows that this young man is the newly posted Deputy Bureau Chief and he is serious. “Wait... Wait... I will pay the fine!” He had spent a lot on the automatic mahjong tables and cannot afford the tables to be confiscated!

Back at the station, all the officers had returned.

One officer reported. “Chief Dong, Wang Mingming is brought back.”

Dong Xuebing patted his shoulders. “Good job! Bring me to him!”

Wang Mingming was locked up in an interrogation room. He was smoking and chatting happily with an officer.

Dong Xuebing saw him and was furious. He walked over and kicked Wang Mingming’s chair!

Wang Mingming had been rocking his chair and fell onto the floor from Dong Xuebing’s kick!!

Dong Xuebing stares at him. “Behave yourselves! Where do you think this place is? Ah? Hurry up and tell us what you did!”

Wang Mingming is furious. “You dare to hit me? Do you think I will not report you to the County’s Public Security Bureau?!”

Ring, ring, ring... Dong Xuebing looked at his phone. It was the Finance department’s Deputy Section Chief Liu. Wang Mingming’s relative. “Hello? Section Chief Liu? Are you looking for me?”

Deputy Section Chief Liu suppressed his anger and said. “Chief Dong, Wang Mingming’s case had been settled privately with the victims. Why is he arrested?”

About 2 to 3 hours, Deputy Section Chief Liu had pushed Dong Xuebing to someone else, and Dong Xuebing was someone who bears grudges. “Wang Mingming? Who is Wang Mingming? Section Chief Liu, I am only in charge of the coordination works of Hui Tian Village Station. I don’t interfere with their operations. You should ask someone else.”

“Chief Dong! You all...”

Dong Xuebing hangs up the phone before Deputy Section Chief Liu could finish. He looks at Wang Mingming. “You asked your dog to bite others and don’t even pay for their medical treatment. You have no respect for the law.” Dong Xuebing continued: “Your fine is 5,000 RMB, and you must pay it by today!”

Wang Mingming retorted. “5,000? Why? Rabies shot doesn’t cost so much!”

Dong Xuebing smiled and nodded. He turned to Chu Feng and said. “Go and investigate Wang Mingming. I want all his criminal records since the day he is born. If he doesn’t have any criminal record, go and investigate him in his village! If there is nothing against him in his village, go to the neighboring village! As long as anyone reports against him, his fine will be doubled!”

Wang Mingming was stunned. If the police were to investigate him in this manner, he would be in trouble even when he did not do anything wrong!

Chu Feng acknowledged and was about to leave the room/

Wang Mingming panics. “Wait! I will pay the fine! I will pay for it now!”

Dong Xuebing nodded. “Xiao Chu, half of the fine will be given to the victim as his medical fees and compensation. The other half will be kept by the station.”