Chapter 2334 - The Hearing (II)

He waited several minutes. Although whispered conversations buzzed below, no one raised an objection.

"The Investigation Report on the Wuzhou Incident has received the approval of the attending Senators, with no objections expressed. According to reply letters from all stationed Senators currently received, a two-thirds majority has been achieved. Therefore, the Senate resolves to recognize the legality of this report."

Ma Jia read this sentence with measured cadence. Next came the main event—the inquiry.

Sure enough, the moment Ma Jia announced the start of the inquiry session, someone demanded to speak.

Ma Jia looked up: it was Hai Lin of the Woodware Factory. He knew this Hai Lin was a veteran "Senate Opposition," once considered a matched pair with Shan Liang. Whenever anything significant happened, he inevitably demanded a hearing. Various "Systemic Questions" and "Critical Reflections" appeared on the BBS every week. For a time, he had been a perpetual headache for the Senate.

This time Shan Liang hadn't been selected, but Hai Lin had. Ma Jia knew he had come prepared, ready to open fire.

"Comrade Ma Jia," Hai Lin mounted the podium and nodded slightly in greeting, then turned to acknowledge the audience section. "Comrades!" His manner was polite and courteous, quite the gentleman.

Even Hai Lin is playing this game now, Ma Jia thought. The political sophistication of Senators has certainly improved over the years.

"Comrade Xie Erren, I have read the Wuzhou report." Hai Lin paused for effect. "Frankly, I am both pained and astonished." He let the words hang for a moment, projecting gravity. "The Senate entrusted such an important city to you—but what did you do with it? With what spirit did you approach this work? Are you worthy of the vast body of Senators who placed their trust in you?"

The words carried the flavor of an indictment. Though Xie Erren had long prepared himself mentally, the moral condemnation still left him momentarily tongue-tied.

But he had been a reporter in his previous life and had seen all manner of demons and monsters. Steadying himself, he followed his rehearsed script, putting on an expression of remorse. "I am indeed unworthy of the Senate's trust in me. I failed to do my job properly. For this Wuzhou riot, I bear primary responsibility. I have nothing to defend."

Hai Lin had expected the former journalist to deflect with a torrent of slick rhetoric. The immediate admission disrupted his plan entirely.

He had prepared to "expose Xie Erren's true face" through a series of damning facts, building momentum in the hearing. But since Senator Xie had immediately confessed to being a "demon," this carefully scripted drama couldn't be performed as planned. Left with no alternative, Hai Lin pivoted to the question of "accountability."

"...Comrades, although the Wuzhou incident was Comrade Xie Erren's personal failure, do other departments—particularly the State Council under certain protective umbrellas, as well as Organization and Personnel, Intelligence, Public Security, and our perpetually omnipotent Political Security Bureau—bear no responsibility? I say not only do they share responsibility, but their responsibility is substantial!"

"Here we go," Dong Shiye whispered.

Ma Jia nodded slightly. "His same old prescription, unchanged for a thousand years."

He watched Hai Lin's impassioned speech, knowing his ultimate target was Ma Qianzhu—thoroughly criticizing and discrediting the Director, or at least rendering him "unable to plague the Senate," had been his long-standing and unconcealed goal. Of course, that goal was increasingly unrealistic. Everyone now knew that even if Ma Qianzhu stepped down, his successor would almost certainly be someone from his team, or at least a close ally.

Sure enough, after a round of passionate rhetoric about "The urgent need to rectify X," Hai Lin turned his guns toward Ma Qianzhu's head. He argued that during his many years as State Secretary, serious errors had occurred repeatedly. This Wuzhou failure was nothing less than a "disaster." Moreover, Ma Qianzhu had been one of the nominators for Xie Erren's appointment as Wuzhou Regional Director, and had personally approved the formal assignment. He should bear primary responsibility.

"...I believe Comrade Ma Qianzhu should resign in disgrace—or at minimum make a public self-criticism!"

When Hai Lin finished, scattered applause rose from the seats. Someone shouted "Well said!" but the call went unanswered, leaving an awkward silence.

Though the atmosphere wasn't as warm as he'd imagined, the first shot had been fired. The next person to raise a hand was Cheng Yongxin. This didn't surprise Ma Jia or Dong Shiye—she hadn't spoken on public affairs for quite some time.

Cheng Yongxin had stumbled over the Maid Case and tried to use the Trouble in Lingao affair to fan flames to her advantage. After all that maneuvering, she hadn't come away empty-handed—at least she was now a prominent figure in news media. She carefully maintained distance from Du Wen in certain causes, avoiding unfavorable comparisons.

Though her attempt to enter and influence media had been partially realized, Ma Jia knew that not long ago Miss Cheng had suffered certain personal difficulties. She was said to be recovering both physically and mentally, and had recently been in a dormant state.

Speaking at this hearing was clearly a signal that she was preparing to return to the stage.

Cheng Yongxin's face was slightly pale. After taking the podium, she first asked Xie Erren several questions—all concerning Cai Lan, including how he had taken her in and why he kept her by his side.

Though these details were in the report, Xie Erren answered each question.

"Fellow Senators," Cheng Yongxin generally didn't use the address "Comrade," "I want to draw everyone's attention to Cai Lan in this case. Although she has been identified as one of the main participants in the Wuzhou disturbance, and even took her own life before our investigation team arrived, should we not consider why she participated in the first place?"

Everyone's eyes widened. What is she getting at?

"...Cai Lan's assassination attempt on a Senator was certainly a serious crime. But since the attempt failed, and Senator Xie used his authority to pardon her, she should have been properly processed or released according to regulations. Why was Cai Lan taken in like a possession? Could it be that for certain Senators who think with their lower bodies, the only function of women is as objects for their pleasure?"

Ma Jia nodded slightly. Cheng Yongxin's point wasn't wrong. On the matter of Cai Lan, Xie Erren had serious problems—arguably, many of Wuzhou's troubles stemmed from his improper handling of her. Though her intentions might lie elsewhere, her ability to identify the key issue remained sharp.

Cheng Yongxin continued: "Disrespecting women, objectifying them, casually degrading and toying with them has become common practice within the Senate—it has even formed into an unspoken rule, while female Senators can only swallow their grievances in silence..."

Ma Jia rapped the gavel. "Ms. Cheng, please keep your remarks on topic. We don't oppose free expression of opinion, but please stay focused. Don't stray too far."

"I'm expressing my personal views. If that makes you uncomfortable, I apologize." Cheng Yongxin's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Fine. Since the present Senators don't care to hear this, I'll confine myself to the topic at hand."

"The reason Cai Lan participated in the disturbance was that she could no longer endure Mr. Xie Erren's mental and physical abuse!" Her voice grew agitated. "This is what ultimately drove Cai Lan into the enemy's arms..."

Cheng Yongxin proceeded to deliver a concentrated barrage against Xie Erren, all but directly labeling him "Scum" and worse. Everyone found themselves puzzled—why had she suddenly become so emotional? She seemed on the verge of tears.

"...I find it truly strange. How did a person like Mr. Xie Erren—whose abilities are questionable at best, and whose moral standards I prefer not to comment on—become the administrative chief of an important city? He has absolutely no administrative experience, and his education lacks any relevant background. Who, exactly, has been acting as his promoter and protective umbrella? Furthermore, Liu Youwang, who played an extremely vile role in this case—such a morally corrupt villain—actually became the officer managing a prisoner camp. On what basis does the Senate's Human Resources Department make its selections and appointments? These are questions we must clarify. I propose an independent investigation into these departments and individuals! If necessary, I propose convening a Senate General Assembly to reorganize them!"

"Is she working with Hai Lin?" Dong Shiye asked in a low voice.

"I don't think so." Ma Jia shook his head slightly. "Hai Lin only wants to go after Ma Qianzhu. She's clearly targeting Ming Lang's department."

"She wants to move Ming Lang?"

"There's something to that effect." Ma Jia said, "She obviously isn't acting alone—someone's directing her from behind. The Personnel Arrangement Department has always been an invisible center of power; there are certainly quite a few people wanting to intervene."

Cheng Yongxin's speech received more applause than Hai Lin's. Though nobody was particularly interested in her accusations of "objectifying women," the Personnel Department's failures in selecting and placing people in the Wuzhou Incident were obvious.

After this warm-up by two speakers, the atmosphere in the hall became considerably more energized. Many more requested to speak.

"Now things are getting lively," Ma Jia said to Dong Shiye. "Today's hearing will be a war of attrition."

The third Senator to speak was someone neither Ma Jia nor Dong Shiye knew well. This person's name rarely appeared in meetings or publications—apparently an ordinary Senator who seldom engaged in Senate politics, not particularly high-ranking, and focused on his own work.

"Regarding the Wuzhou riot, I also want to say a few words." He mopped his brow with a handkerchief, clearly uncomfortable in such settings. "The matter itself is explained clearly enough in the report. I personally have no questions. I mainly want to express my personal views on this incident."

(End of Chapter)