Chapter 343 A Difficult Situation
Chen Yanshi was not to be outdone and said, "Zhao Lichun, I am not against you, I am for justice and for the people.
Everyone has seen what you have done over the years.
You use any means necessary for your own selfish gain, and you will be punished sooner or later."
Zhao Lichun was so angry that he slammed the table and said, "Chen Yanshi, don't think you are so noble.
You're just a smug old fellow.
What do you think you can change? This world is a world where the strong prey on the weak, and only power and wealth are important. "
Chen Yanshi shook his head and said, "Zhao Lichun, you are wrong.
There are things in this world that are more important than power and wealth, and that is justice and conscience.
If you continue like this, you will be deserted by everyone and eventually destroyed.”
The two of them argued back and forth, and the argument became more and more intense.
They also expressed sharply different views on policy.
Chen Yanshi advocates putting people at the center, paying attention to people's livelihood, combating corruption, and promoting social fairness and justice.
He believes that the government's power comes from the people and should serve the people.
Zhao Lichun, on the other hand, pays more attention to economic development and personal interests. He believes that as long as they can bring about economic growth, some means are acceptable.
"Zhao Lichun, look at Handong now, corruption is rampant and the people are living in misery.
As the provincial party secretary, don't you have any responsibility at all?" Chen Yanshi asked.
Zhao Lichun retorted: "Chen Yanshi, don't exaggerate.
Handong's economy has been developing and people's living standards have been improving.
You should not always see the problems and not the achievements.”
“But you cannot ignore corruption. Corruption will erode our regime and undermine social justice.
You must take decisive measures to fight corruption," Chen Yanshi said.
Zhao Lichun sneered: "Fighting corruption? Do you think it's that easy?
The relationships here are intricately complex, and one move can affect the entire body.
I cannot fight corruption at the expense of economic development.”
“This is your excuse. If corruption is not eradicated, economic development will not last long.
You must have the courage to face this problem and not run away from it," Chen Yanshi said.
The argument between the two reached a stalemate and neither could convince the other.
Just then, the office door was suddenly pushed open and a secretary walked in.
"Secretary Zhao, there is an emergency." said the secretary.
Zhao Lichun frowned and asked, "What's the matter?"
The secretary handed over a document and said, "Some countries and organizations in the world have questioned our economic sanctions and asked us to give a reasonable explanation."
Zhao Lichun took the document, took a look at it, and his face became even gloomier.
He knew that the matter was becoming increasingly complicated.
Chen Yanshi looked at Zhao Lichun and said, "Zhao Lichun, you should understand now that what you did was wrong.
You cannot ignore the interests of the country and the people in order to save your son."
When Zhao Lichun heard what Chen Yanshi said, his anger was instantly ignited.
He glared at Chen Yanshi and shouted angrily, "Chen Yanshi, stop pretending to be ignorant and talking nonsense!
My son's life or death is uncertain. As a father, can I just sit back and do nothing? What qualifications do you have to accuse me of disregarding the interests of the country and the people?"
Chen Yanshi did not flinch. He met Zhao Lichun's gaze and said firmly, "Zhao Lichun, I am not blaming you for your feelings as a father, but you cannot take extreme measures to save your son.
Your behavior has affected the interests and image of the country, which is unacceptable."
"Humph, national interests? Image? In my eyes, my son's life is the most important!" Zhao Lichun said angrily, "You, Chen Yanshi, don't have any children in danger, so of course you can say it easily.
If your daughter Chen Yang was in this situation, would you still be so righteous? "
Chen Yanshi was slightly stunned, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes.
But soon, he regained his firmness and said, "Zhao Lichun, I understand your feelings, but we can't lose our rationality because of personal emotions.
You're only making things worse by doing this."
"That's enough!" Zhao Lichun interrupted Chen Yanshi. "Don't say any more. I only care about how to rescue my son. I don't care about anything else."
The two of them once again fell into a fierce quarrel.
Their voices grew louder and their emotions became more excited.
During this process, they each insisted on their own position and no one was willing to give in.
Zhao Lichun thought that Chen Yanshi was deliberately making things difficult for him and did not understand his feelings as a father.
Chen Yanshi believes that Zhao Lichun's behavior is selfish and will bring serious consequences to the country and the people.
Their quarrel was not just about rescuing Zhao Ruilong, but also a collision of two different values.
Zhao Lichun has always been centered on power and interests. He believes that as long as he has enough power, he can solve all problems.
Chen Yanshi always adheres to justice and principles. He believes that problems can only be truly solved through legal and fair means.
During the argument, Zhao Lichun repeatedly accused Chen Yanshi of being an old stubborn man who was inflexible.
He said Chen Yanshi's ideas are outdated and not suitable for this complex society.
Chen Yanshi countered that Zhao Lichun was a corrupt element who would do anything for his own selfish interests.
Their quarrel became more and more intense, even to the point of attacking each other.
Zhao Lichun said that Chen Yanshi was jealous of his power and status and was deliberately making trouble for him.
Chen Yanshi said that Zhao Lichun was abusing his power and would be punished by law sooner or later.
In the process, they seemed to have forgotten their identity and responsibilities.
They are no longer the provincial party secretary and the retired cadre, but just two ordinary people who quarrel for their own interests.
However, their quarrel did not solve anything but made things more complicated.
Their behavior attracted the attention of others, and some people began to talk and speculate about their quarrel.
This has greatly affected their image and put them in an even more embarrassing situation.
Both Zhao Lichun and Chen Yanshi realized their mistakes, but neither of them was willing to admit them first.
They were stuck in a stalemate, and no one knew how to break it.
Just then, an unexpected news came, which temporarily stopped their quarrel.
It turned out that the Myanmar military was very dissatisfied with Zhao Lichun’s economic sanctions, and they decided to take more drastic actions in response.
They threatened to launch a military strike against Handong Province, which put both Zhao Lichun and Chen Yanshi under tremendous pressure.