Chapter Eight: The Hidden Card (Part One)

... Zhang Maolin couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration:
“Profound and fantastical, truly extraordinary! I, Old Zhang, consider myself fortunate to receive your teachings. The regret is that my limited knowledge and shallow learning make it difficult for me to fully grasp and comprehend all your essential insights in such a short time! Therefore, it would be best if you could give me a ‘plain and simple’ version to explain—only then can I ensure accurate understanding and proper execution in the future, avoiding any deviation or missteps.”

Teng Deming smiled calmly, waving his hand:
“Heh, you really know how to joke. It’s not that complicated. Actually, it’s just like a thin sheet of paper on a window that hasn’t been punctured in time, or simply put, you’re unwilling to reach out and puncture it yourself! To be specific, disciplinary inspection work, in practice, generally falls into four scenarios. Handle them well, and you’ll be skillful and radiant; otherwise, you’ll be mired in difficulties, suffering self-inflicted pain, or trapped in a deep rut.”

“Such incisive words! What exactly are the four scenarios? Maolin is eager to hear the details.”

Zhang Maolin immediately adopted a reverent and anxious demeanor.

Teng Deming slowly rose from the sofa and began pacing with his hands behind his back in the passageway between the double bed’s headboard and the TV wall...

“In simple terms, there are four phrases: ‘open arrival and open departure,’ ‘open arrival and covert departure,’ ‘covert arrival and open departure,’ and ‘covert arrival and covert departure.’”

“Oh, please wait a moment, I’ll go get paper and pen to take notes.”

Zhang Maolin made a motion to stand, reaching for a purse by the window sill...

Teng Deming was amused by Zhang Maolin’s exaggerated and uncharacteristic action!

“Brother, what are you joking about? Are you planning to bring my ramblings to the table for discussion? Trying to impress someone, huh?”

“Not at all. I’m serious. Your classic enlightening insights, Director Teng, are truly words of wisdom, each sentence a classic maxim. Today, Maolin is fortunate to hear these truths; even understanding one or two points would be an invaluable gain! There’s not a hint of jest...”

At this moment, Zhang Maolin seemed to suddenly reveal his acting talent, displaying utmost sincerity. He knew very well that Teng Deming had come to Songyang fully prepared, and it was highly likely that this contained the intention of the top leader, Tan Yiwu. The fact that Tan Yiwu entrusted such a highly confidential letter to Teng Deming spoke volumes. This circumstance was something Zhang Maolin had not anticipated in advance.

Now, Zhang Maolin could judge that Teng Deming intended to navigate all the twists and turns, complete all the groundwork, and then cut to the chase.

Zhang Maolin thought to himself:
—Good, no need to discuss serious matters now, just chat casually! After all, I’m waiting at my doorstep; as someone who only rides in cars, I can’t outlast you who has traveled far to drive! Might as well keep you company and chat...

Teng Deming tilted his head back and quickly finished his full cup of tea. He continued:
“‘Open arrival and open departure’ is the simplest and easiest to understand. It refers to your daily routine work, carried out strictly according to the ‘eight-legged essay’ style of old-fashioned, formulaic procedures. You operate with your eyes closed, following step by step, according to the plan.

For example, in handling monthly or quarterly routine inspections, you must first create the proper atmosphere, organizing meetings with great fanfare, stating requirements, setting plans, and making deployments. Every step must leave sufficient traces. Then you personally organize the inspection team, leading relevant personnel to thoroughly visit all branches, even down to grassroots business outlets. These steps must not be perfunctory or superficial; grassroots employees must know that disciplinary inspection has no blind spots, and they must always keep this in mind. Ensure that the supervision and inspection are performed with an implementation plan, inspection results, accountability, and rectification feedback—only then is the inspection complete.

For each institution inspected, from arriving on-site to completing all items, you must prove your work attitude and highlight your achievements with the ‘transparent’ procedures required by documents. Of course, all this forms the important ‘evidence’ for your year-end report. It may be like a glass of plain water without any taste, but this step itself is crucial.

‘Open arrival and covert departure’ refers to how you should prudently handle and effectively resolve problems discovered during inspections.

Generally speaking, the handling authority for issues found during inspections, unless they involve particularly serious matters or cause severe consequences, lies entirely within your control. At this point, your focus first becomes the relationship between the unit’s ‘head’ and yourself. Whether the issues investigated end up in the report’s conclusions depends entirely on your personal judgment. This step may seem insignificant, but this choice greatly impacts the inspected unit!

‘Covert arrival and open departure’ is very important; it actually tests your attitude toward handling matters. Specifically, it concerns how you respond to and deal with reports from the grassroots. Frankly, the relationship between officials and staff at Songyang Commercial Bank has historically been irreconcilable! It’s commonplace for leaders to be reported on, especially the top leader being slandered—it’s nothing unusual.

As a dedicated disciplinary secretary, once you receive a report, you must not rush to act. You should embody the art of ‘slowly, carefully, and thoroughly.’ Sometimes, traffic rules still apply effectively in disciplinary work! At this stage, you have every right, reason, and necessity to carry out preliminary verification. Of course, this must be done discreetly and entrusted to your trusted aides. Remember, reports sometimes act as a ‘fuse,’ but more often, they’re just a ‘trash bag.’ From my personal experience, a considerable number of reports stem from employees’ personal grudges against leaders, serving as irresponsible venting by petty people. Therefore, never trust them lightly, nor completely.

Verification of violations must be conducted discreetly, not with the fanfare of a routine inspection—lest everyone on earth knows. In practice, you must ‘quietly enter the village.’ Use appropriate words and actions to subtly reveal your intentions, so the leaders being investigated deeply understand your painstaking efforts for their sake! Even if serious problems are found, the party concerned will not hold a grudge against you. If the report is a ‘false alarm’ or fabricated, then you must be exceptionally sensitive and seize the rare opportunity to publicly assert your or the municipal bank’s stance. Boldly clear the name of the innocent leader, dare to speak up, dare to declare, and dare to take responsibility. You must understand that this moment is a precious chance to deepen your personal relationships. Such opportunities to display social tact are rare. Know that in today’s society, friendship forged through adversity is invaluable. Whenever called upon, it is well worth it!”