Chapter 351: Public Accusation

Beijing, as the nation's capital, is a relatively restricted place compared to other areas because it serves as the administrative center of the country. The Beijing Municipal Party Committee and City Government must consult the central government before taking any actions, and they must be extremely cautious with every policy. Even though the Beijing Party Secretary holds a seat in the Political Bureau, they don't enjoy the same freedom as their counterparts in other provinces, cities, or autonomous regions, where they can act more independently.

The title of Beijing Party Secretary is prestigious, but in practice, they must act in line with the central government's wishes, often having to be as deferential as a subordinate. This is unlike officials in other regions, who wield greater power and can act more freely. This restricted environment is why many senior officials are eager to be transferred to positions where they have more freedom.

This situation may not seem significant, but even Beijing locals can easily tell you where the central government is located, while many might struggle to identify the exact location of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee and City Government. This indicates how overshadowed the local government is by the central authorities.

Like the central government, the Beijing Municipal Party Committee and City Government are located on Chang'an Avenue, in a complex with a rich history. Nearby is the famous Great Hall of the People.

Despite being a provincial-level institution, the Beijing Municipal Party Committee and City Government rarely deal with major events. Since the nearby Zhongnanhai complex houses the central government, most people prefer to go directly there, bypassing the local government altogether, which leaves the latter's officials with little to do.

However, the quiet of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee and City Government was finally disrupted in 1988 by Zhou Ming. One morning, Zhou Ming and Du Peng gathered a group of people, holding banners, and marched to the gates of the local government.

They set up tables to form a makeshift platform, and Zhou Ming leaped onto it, holding a megaphone. Facing the bustling Chang'an Avenue, he shouted loudly, "Comrades, I am here to report corrupt officials to the Beijing Municipal Party Committee and City Government! I have a report letter here!"

His shout was like a sudden clap of thunder, startling everyone. Passersby, as if under a spell, stopped in their tracks and instinctively gathered around Zhou Ming.

This was exactly the effect Zhou Ming was aiming for, which is why he immediately mentioned reporting corruption. He knew well that such issues would captivate the public's attention.

As people gathered, he continued, "Charles Dickens said in *A Tale of Two Cities* that it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I believe we are living in such an era. In this turbulent age, we should be responding to the central government's call, bravely diving into the waves of reform and opening up, and dedicating our youth and passion to the modernization of our nation!"

"Whether we are doing business, working in factories, or even laboring on construction sites, we are all contributing to the development of our country. Our work is noble, our actions are honorable, and our thoughts are elevated. We are the screws that help strengthen our nation's prosperity."

Then Zhou Ming shifted his tone and continued, "However, there are some detestable and hateful corrupt officials who are eroding the fruits of our labor. They use their power to illegally seize our hard-earned gains and pocket them for themselves."

"Our hard work is meant to build a better future, to ensure a good and happy life for our descendants. But these corrupt officials are like leeches, sucking away our blood and sweat to fatten themselves. By doing so, they insult our intelligence and trample on our dignity!" Zhou Ming spoke with great emotion, asking, "Tell me, aren't such corrupt officials despicable?"

The crowd responded in unison with a resounding "Despicable!" showing that corrupt officials were viewed as public enemies.

In Zhou Ming's own view, his words might seem a bit naive, but in this era, revolutionary spirit was still alive and well. Even the tone of the news broadcasts was upbeat, and revolutionary slogans were still being shouted in many places. Therefore, he knew his words would resonate deeply with the crowd.

With the crowd's anger stirred, Zhou Ming, a skilled orator, naturally seized the moment. He continued, "You may have heard of the ten-billion-dollar fraud case in Jiangnan. It was a shocking amount of money! But have you ever wondered how an ordinary street thug could pull off such a huge scam in an entire province and city? Did he deceive ordinary people for all that money? Or was there some hidden mastermind behind it all?"

"Who? Is it a corrupt official?" someone from the crowd immediately asked.

"Yes, it's a corrupt official! It's the finance director of our capital, Chen Xu! He is the mastermind behind the ten-billion-dollar fraud case in Jiangnan. From what I know, a large portion of the money from that case was given to Director Chen, who then used it to build many villas in Beijing, each filled with beautiful women. They indulge themselves in these villas, living in luxury on the hard-earned money of the working class! And this Director Chen helped Xie Yuan set up companies to carry out the fraud under the guise of government authority!"

Zhou Ming paused, then continued, "Now, tell me, should such an official be reported and thoroughly investigated?"

Zhou Ming grew more passionate as he spoke, waving his arms and shouting, and the crowd followed suit. Their blood boiling, people of all ages joined in, shouting, "Yes, such corrupt officials should be thoroughly investigated and executed!"

Du Peng, who had accompanied Zhou Ming from Nanjiang to Linyang and now to Beijing, had witnessed many of Zhou Ming's exploits. By now, Du Peng thought he had developed a tough psychological resilience, but watching Zhou Ming's fervent speech, he still felt his blood surge with excitement.

Zhou Ming is truly a natural-born orator. If someone were to write about his deeds in the future, they might title it *The Rebirth of a Great Orator*… Wait, why would "rebirth" be included?

While Du Peng was lost in his thoughts, Zhou Ming, like a magician, pulled out a thick report letter and said, "This is my report letter. I have documented all of Chen Xu's crimes here, along with some evidence to support these allegations. Today, right here in front of everyone, I will hand this report letter to the Beijing Municipal Party Committee and City Government. What do you all think?"

"Good!" the crowd shouted in unison.

However, things in this world often don't go as planned. Just as the crowd shouted their approval, more than ten police cars, sirens blaring, arrived at the scene. Dozens of police officers jumped out of the vehicles and quickly surrounded Zhou Ming and his group.

A police officer stepped forward and immediately started questioning, "Which unit are you from? What are you doing here? What's your purpose? Who approved this? Who sent you here? Who's backing you? What's your goal? What are you trying to disrupt?"

People are generally afraid of authority, and most of the crowd had merely been stirred by Zhou Ming's words. Now, seeing the police arrive in such a threatening manner, they naturally felt scared. However, Zhou Ming's next words quickly reignited their confidence.

"Officer, we are here to report a corrupt official to the Municipal Party Committee and City Government. This is a righteous act supporting the revolutionary cause. I am reporting Beijing Finance Director Chen Xu, and I have the report letter right here!" Zhou Ming said, raising the report letter high.

Hearing Zhou Ming's words, the police officer frowned but did not back down, still speaking forcefully, "I don't know anything about reporting or corrupt officials. All I know is that your actions here are seriously disrupting public order. You must leave immediately, or I'll have you all arrested!"

"Officer, we are law-abiding revolutionary citizens. We are here today simply to report a corrupt official to the Municipal Party Committee and City Government and to exercise our right to supervise as the people. Why are you arresting us? Are you in league with the corrupt officials? Are you here under their orders to protect them?" Zhou Ming retorted without backing down.

Zhou Ming's words, if analyzed carefully, had many flaws, but the crowd was mostly ordinary people who didn't understand the complexities of politics. Their earlier enthusiasm hadn't yet subsided, and they were still fired up. They immediately joined Zhou Ming in questioning the police, "Are you also in league with the corrupt officials? Are you here to protect them?"

As they loudly questioned the police, they also began to move toward them.

Perhaps everyone has a latent rebellious streak, or maybe it was because they were often bullied by these uniformed officers. Now, given the rare opportunity to turn the tables, they were unusually excited. As the crowd at the front kept pushing toward the police surrounding them, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, and the air heated up, with a police-civilian clash seemingly about to erupt.