笑笑生
除夕，整个内江官场都洋溢着乐观向上的氛围On New Year’s Eve, the entire officialdom of Neijiang was immersed in an optimistic and uplifting atmosphere.
笑笑生
今天是除夕，一大早，内江中院晦气了两个月的专委刘应江就起了床，像洗裤衩一样，把一张老脸洗了搓了三遍。然后，对着镜子反复照，总觉得气色还是衰了点，又找来老婆的口红，抠下来一大块，放在手心里用水和匀了，在脸上轻轻涂了一层。
一番打扮后，刘应江开车去了单位，把办公室的门大开着，自己稳稳地坐在办公桌后，等着过去那批肉麻地拍马屁的下属过来拜年。
Today is New Year’s Eve. Early in the morning, Liu Yingjiang, a committee member of the Neijiang Intermediate Court who had been in a foul mood for two months, got up and vigorously washed his face three times, as if washing underwear. Afterward, he looked at himself repeatedly in the mirror, feeling that his complexion still looked a bit off. He then took a large piece of his wife’s lipstick, mixed it with water in the palm of his hand, and gently applied a layer to his face. After getting ready, Liu Yingjiang drove to his office, opened the doors wide, and sat firmly behind his desk, waiting for the sycophantic subordinates of the past to come and pay their New Year’s respects.
这，要在一周前，绝对是痴心妄想！自从2023年12月7日下午，前内江经开区工委书记赵永韦受贿案一审开庭时，北京张庆方律师当庭斥责刘应江：你一个行贿犯，怎么有脸坐在这里审一个受贿案？内江中院就没有一个干净点的人了？第二天，李仲伟、冷慧、殷志浩、李帅欣、王兴未五律师又去内江人大常委会，要求罢免真行贿犯罪审假受贿，丢尽内江司法的脸面的刘应江。
Just a week ago, such a scenario would have seemed like foolish wishful thinking. Since the afternoon of December 7, 2023, when the bribery case against Zhao Yongwei, the former Secretary of the Neijiang Economic Development Zone Work Committee, was first heard, lawyer Zhang Qingfang from Beijing publicly rebuked Liu Yingjiang in court, questioning how a bribe-giver had the audacity to judge a bribery case, and implying that the Neijiang Intermediate Court was devoid of integrity. The following day, lawyers Li Zhongwei, Leng Hui, Yin Zhihao, Li Shuixin, and Wang Xingwei approached the Neijiang People’s Congress Standing Committee, demanding the dismissal of Liu Yingjiang for tarnishing the judicial system of Neijiang by overseeing a bribery case despite his own criminal bribing actions.
从此，刘应江在整个内江中院成了臭狗屎，不但那些过去拍他马屁的下属们人人像躲瘟疫一样躲着他，连大院长郑治见到他，都是不冷不热的，郑治还对记者说：刘应江的问题，中院已经报给组织上，在等待组织上做出处理决定。这是明确要和应江同志切割的意思了。
但是，即便是在如此险恶的处境下，刘应江始终都对自己有信心，他的信心，来源于他对整个内江官场的理解和熟悉。“说老子行贿，你们特么的还受贿呢！屎壳郎笑话黑猪，谁又比谁白呢！把我逼急了，把你们那点事全抖搂出来，要死一块死！”
From that point on, Liu Yingjiang became utterly disgraced within the Neijiang Intermediate Court. Not only did his previously sycophantic subordinates avoid him like the plague, but even the Chief Justice Zheng Zhi treated him with indifference. Zheng Zhi even told reporters that Liu Yingjiang’s case had been reported to the higher authorities and was awaiting their decision, clearly indicating a desire to distance from Liu. Despite his dire situation, Liu maintained confidence, derived from his understanding and familiarity with the Neijiang officialdom. He defiantly criticized the hypocrisy of those accusing him, suggesting that if pushed too far, he would expose their misdeeds as well, implying a mutual downfall.
还真别说，帮刘应江改善处境的，居然是让他扬名全国的张庆方律师。2023年12月28日，张庆方律师公开喊话内江政法委书记苟乙权：听说你们迟迟不处理刘应江，是因为你的二当家，内江政法委副书记毛利，也曾经行贿副市长，后者被判入狱，毛利却带病提拔。
因为毛书记有这段历史，内江政法委就底气不足，不敢处理刘应江。
Ironically, the person who helped improve Liu Yingjiang’s situation was Zhang Qingfang, the lawyer who had made him notorious nationwide. On December 28, 2023, Zhang Qingfang publicly called out Neijiang’s Political and Legal Committee Secretary Gou Yiquan, suggesting the delay in dealing with Liu was due to Deputy Secretary Mao Li’s past bribery of a deputy mayor, who was later imprisoned, while Mao Li was promoted despite his illness. Mao Li’s history made the Political and Legal Committee hesitant to act against Liu Yingjiang.
张庆方律师的公开信，相当于刘应江的申诉状。从此，刘应江每天都坚持去中院上班，在人前，腰也直了，气也壮了。他知道：这个时候，首先自己要挺住！自助者天助。果然，内江政法委都不敢直接下处分决定，只是找刘应江谈话，建议他主动辞职。
Zhang Qingfang’s public letter acted as Liu Yingjiang’s appeal. From then on, Liu went to work at the Intermediate Court daily with renewed vigor and a straightened posture, knowing he had to stand firm in this crisis. Indeed, the Neijiang Political and Legal Committee, wary of making a direct decision, suggested Liu resign voluntarily during a meeting, reflecting their reluctance to confront him outright due to the complexities and implications of his case.
刘应江非常坚决：我和熊晓平院长那点事，当初纪委是给过承诺的，地痞流氓都重承诺，组织上说的话，能翻脸不认？我就是不辞职！哪怕你们把我抓起来，我也要让家人朋友把我早就写好的检举信全公开！找他谈话的领导顿时语塞，对刘应江的处理之事不了了之。
Liu Yingjiang was resolute: “Regarding the matter between me and President Xiong Xiaoping, the Disciplinary Committee had made promises. Even thugs honor their promises; how can the organization go back on its word? I refuse to resign! Even if you arrest me, I will have my family and friends publicly release the whistleblower letter I’ve prepared long ago!” The leader who had come to speak with him was at a loss for words, and the issue of handling Liu Yingjiang was left unresolved.
除了刘应江，内江更扬眉吐气的，是纪委书记王阿冤（王渊）。自2023年10月18日，张庆方律师用赵永韦的微信号，在内江党政工作群群发对内江纪委制造冤案的控诉信以来，这几个月，阿冤是尝尽了人间冷暖。不但他为之效力的前老板郑部长一副你办的事你自己处理的态度，内江现任的邹书记，也非常鸡贼。事发时，邹书记正在北京学习，王冤紧急飞往首都，向邹书记请求指示。邹书记闪烁其辞：第一，立即向省纪委汇报；第二，慎重妥善地应对舆论，不能给内江的党政工作造成不良影响！说完，端茶送客。王冤心里只问候邹书记八辈子祖宗：对赵永韦立案，不是你开常委会通过的？现在全部责任让我一个人承担？这样的主子，以后，哪个奴才还会为你卖命？
Aside from Liu Yingjiang, Wang Yuan (nicknamed Wang A’Yuan), the Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission in Neijiang, experienced a significant boost in morale. Since October 18, 2023, when lawyer Zhang Qingfang used Zhao Yongwei’s WeChat account to broadcast a letter accusing the Neijiang Discipline Inspection Commission of framing an unjust case, Wang A’Yuan has felt the full spectrum of human warmth and coldness. He faced abandonment from his former superior, Minister Zheng, who adopted an attitude of letting Wang deal with the problems he was involved in. The current Secretary Zou, who was in Beijing for studies when the incident occurred, responded evasively to Wang’s request for guidance, only advising to report to the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission and to handle public opinion carefully to avoid negatively impacting the party and government work in Neijiang. This left Wang feeling bitterly let down and questioning his loyalty to such leaders who would leave him to bear the responsibility alone.
好在，他工作了二十多年的省纪委，真是给力。张庆方律师早在2023年11月1日，就去省纪委控告王冤制造冤案，而且，冤案制造的全过程，就集中在2023年3月9日-25日，2023年4月24日-5月11日两个时段，只要调取同步录像，就可以真相大白。但是，省纪委一方面表态会处理，另一方面，故意拖延不查。张庆方律师又去控告王冤硕士论文造假，抄袭率52%，省纪委不但不处理，对前来请示的西南财经大学，也是一副别来烦我的态度：学位论文造假，依职权是你们大学的事！
Fortunately, Wang Yuan’s twenty years of service at the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission paid off. Despite lawyer Zhang Qingfang’s early accusations on November 1, 2023, against Wang for fabricating a wrongful case during specific periods in March and April 2023, the Commission showed reluctance to investigate. Further, when Zhang accused Wang of plagiarism in his master’s thesis, with a 52% similarity index, the Commission dismissed the complaint. They suggested that issues of academic misconduct were the university’s responsibility, indicating a lack of interest in pursuing the case against Wang.
四川省纪委的领导不是非要包庇阿冤，而是，他们自己清楚，王冤办赵永韦案，并没有什么特殊手段，整个四川纪检系统，不都是这么办案的？否定王冤，给赵永韦翻案，就是否定整个四川纪检工作！厂卫特权，是必须要捍卫的，整个大堤，哪怕裂一条缝，大家全都得死！
有了省纪委这顶保护伞，尽管，王冤论文造假，国内十几家官媒都报道了，王冤制造赵永韦冤案，全国人民天天盯着，但是，整个四川官场，无人能奈阿冤何。尽管，从十月底以来，内江纪委的工作就事实上已经停滞，尽管，整个内江官场，都不相信王渊还能继续在内江发号施令。但是，四川省纪委宁肯这就么放着，拖着，也不肯给内江事件下个结论。
The leadership of the Sichuan Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission was not deliberately protecting Wang Yuan; they were aware that Wang’s handling of Zhao Yongwei’s case did not involve any unusual methods. This approach was typical across the Sichuan disciplinary inspection system. Overturning Wang’s actions would imply a broader critique of the system itself. Despite national media coverage of Wang’s alleged plagiarism and the wrongful case against Zhao, the protective stance of the provincial commission prevented any significant action against Wang. The work of Neijiang’s Discipline Inspection Commission had virtually halted since late October, and despite widespread disbelief in Wang’s continued authority in Neijiang, the provincial commission chose to delay and avoid concluding the Neijiang incident.
王冤很清楚，中国人讲过得了初一，过不了十五，但是，官场处理干部，有个不成文的习惯，只要春节前不处理，基本上，就意味着，这一关已经过了。因此，这个除夕，压抑了三个月的王冤格外兴奋，一进单位，就热情地给这个打个招呼，拍拍那个肩膀。他已经下定了决心，过了年，就要甩开膀子重新干，以头拱地拼命干，把前三个月没来得及整的干部，加速处理。
而整个内江官场，也都洋溢着乐观向上的氛围。十八大以后怎么样？八项规定又怎么样？张庆方律师公开举报王冤包庇四大班子领导过年收礼，那么充分的证据，不是照样没人处理？只要王冤书记在，过年收礼就不是事，今年一定要放心大胆地收。投身革命就为钱，有钱日子赛神仙。没有外快，单靠那点死工资，回家只能被老婆骂。有了外快，收了年礼，不但有钱养小三，回家都可以打老婆！
Wang Yuan understood the unwritten rule of the officialdom that not taking action before the Spring Festival essentially means getting through the scrutiny. Thus, on New Year’s Eve, after months of suppression, he was exceptionally thrilled, greeting colleagues warmly upon arriving at work. He resolved to take decisive action in the new year, addressing the unresolved issues with certain officials. Meanwhile, the entire Neijiang officialdom was imbued with optimism. Despite public accusations and evidence of corruption, the prevailing attitude was one of defiance against reforms and regulations, with a focus on personal gain and maintaining the status quo under Wang Yuan’s protection.
就在整个内江官场一片醉生梦死的氛围中，内江还是有清醒的人：内江经济，几年前就已经跨了！内江财政，靠中央转移支付已经不能支撑，只能靠巧立名目借债度日。内江的民营企业，早已经被王冤敲诈得没了信心，纷纷把注册地迁往成都，往外省转。这么下去，能不能撑过2024年，都不好说。
Amidst the hedonistic atmosphere pervading Neijiang’s official circles, there were still those who remained clear-headed about the city’s dire economic situation. Neijiang’s economy had faltered years ago, unable to sustain itself on central government transfers alone and resorting to accruing debt under various pretexts. Local private enterprises, having lost confidence due to extortion by officials like Wang Yuan, were relocating their registration to Chengdu and other provinces. The viability of Neijiang’s economy into 2024 was uncertain, indicating a deep-seated issue beyond the superficial optimism of the local officialdom.
可是，内江官场这些脑满肠肥的，哪有这种远见，哪有这种情怀。今朝有酒今朝醉，明日愁来明日愁！天蹋下来，用嘴顶着！
However, the officials in Neijiang, bloated with their own importance, lacked such foresight and sentiment. They lived by the motto “Drink today and be merry, for tomorrow we may worry. Should the sky fall, we’ll hold it up with our mouths!” This reflects a short-sighted, carefree approach to life and governance, ignoring the looming economic and ethical crises.
于是，一片灯红酒绿，纸醉金迷……
Thus, amidst a backdrop of dazzling lights and lavish indulgence, an environment of intoxication and materialism prevailed…