Liang's First Move
Liang's first move came on Monday morning.
Lin was at his desk by seven thirty. The Tier-Two Cities folder was open in front of him. He had been working through the negotiation history for four days. He had — by Sunday evening — identified what he thought was the core problem in the stall: three of the twelve cities were demanding a financial-coordination structure that the other nine could not accept, and the nine had — instead of negotiating directly with the three — been routing their objections through provincial-level intermediaries who had their own agendas.
Liang arrived at eight forty-five. He was — Lin observed — slightly too cheerful.
"Xiao Lin! Working hard. The Tier-Two file?"
"Yes."
"How's it going?"
"Reading."
"Mm. Listen — I have something that might help. A draft analysis I prepared last year on the financial-coordination structures. It was — set aside, at the time. Director Sun didn't think it was needed. But given that you're tackling the same problem, I think the analysis would — save you considerable time. Let me find it. I'll bring it over."
"That's not necessary, Section Member Liang. I prefer to work through the original documents."
"It's no trouble. I can have it on your desk by lunch."
Lin looked at him.
He said, evenly: "Section Member Liang. Thank you. But I would prefer to develop my own analysis. If, after I have completed my own draft, I find that I would benefit from comparing it to your earlier work, I will come to you."
Liang's smile — for one fraction of a second — tightened.
"Of course. Whatever you prefer."
He went back to his desk.
#
At ten past nine, Sun appeared at Lin's elbow.
"Walk with me."
They went to the small inner office. Sun closed the door.
"Liang offered you something."
"His draft analysis from last year."
"What did you say."
"I declined."
"Good. The draft never existed. He fabricated it on Saturday. If you had accepted it, he would have — at some point in the next several weeks — produced a document that contained — small but specific errors. The errors would have appeared in your final position paper. When the paper was reviewed, the errors would have been traced back through his draft, and you would have been — visibly — a Deputy Section Chief who had used a colleague's flawed work without verification."
"How do you know it was fabricated."
"He requested access to certain archives on Saturday afternoon. The archives contain the kind of citations he would need to construct a plausible draft. The access request was logged. I read the log this morning."
Lin nodded.
"What now."
"Now — nothing. He'll try something else. We watch for it. In the meantime — your work."
"I have — an outline. Three days early. May I show you?"
Sun looked at him.
"Go ahead."
Lin handed him a single sheet of paper.
Sun read it. He read it twice.
He said, after a moment: "This is — good work, Lin. The framing of the three-versus-nine structure is — what nobody else has identified in fourteen months. The proposed mediation mechanism is — workable. The provincial-level routing problem is — correctly diagnosed."
He set the paper down.
"Draft the full paper to this outline. Three weeks. You may have — three days more, if needed."
"Yes."
"And Lin —"
"Yes."
"Don't show this outline to anyone in this office. Including me, in front of others. We will discuss it only in this room. The outline is — early. Early outlines, in this office, sometimes leak."
"Yes."
#
That evening, Lin met Lao Wei at the canal bridge.
He told him about Wen Qiao. He told him about Liang's fabricated draft. He told him about Sun's instruction.
Lao Wei listened. He did not — for a long time — speak.
Then he said: "The journalist. I have heard her name. Her paper is — adequately independent for our city. She is, by reputation, — not corrupt. She is — ambitious. The combination is — complicated, but workable.
"You handled her correctly. The arrangement you proposed — she leaves a note when something is wrong, you respond — is — exactly the kind of small careful arrangement that produces, over time, useful results. Continue to manage her at — the appropriate distance.
"On Liang. Sun's read is correct. He will try again. The next attempt may be — less crude. Be careful what documents you accept from anyone in your office for the next two weeks. Verify any source you cite in the position paper through at least two channels.
"On the position paper. Sun is right that you are early. Don't slow down. Finish in two weeks instead of three. Submit early. The earlier you submit, the less time Liang has to interfere with the final draft."
He paused.
"One more thing. Wen Qiao mentioned — that Liang has been asking questions in places he shouldn't be. I will — find out where. The questions may matter. I will tell you what I learn."
"Yes, Lao Wei."
"Walk safely."
Lao Wei walked off down the canal.
Lin stood at the bridge for a moment.
He thought: *Three weeks just compressed to two. The work just got harder.*
He went home.
He worked until midnight.
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